STAND. COM. REP. NO.  939

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1231

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1231, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide the Department of Education with greater fiscal flexibility by:

     (1)  Allowing the Department of Education to retain an appropriation received for disaster relief pursuant to the Major Disaster Fund or as reimbursement for disaster relief at the close of the fiscal year in which the reimbursement was received.  The funds retained shall not lapse until June 30 of the first fiscal year of the next fiscal biennium; and

     (2)  Specifying that in cases in which the Department of Education expends funds appropriated to the Department for purposes deemed to be reimbursable by federal reimbursement moneys for disaster relief, such moneys will not lapse to the general fund and will be credited directly to the Department, regardless of whether the original appropriation has lapsed.

The Department of Education supported this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance offered comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1231, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair