STAND. COM. REP. NO.  503

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1514

      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 Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1514 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the monthly needs allowance for individuals residing in foster homes, care homes, domiciliary homes, and other long-term care facilities specified under section 346D‑4.5(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, from $50 per month to $75 per month.

 

     The State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Arc of Kona; Self-Advocacy Advisory Council, Kauai Chapter; and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Health commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Amending the amount of the monthly needs allowance to an unspecified amount; and

 

(2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2075, to encourage further discussion.

 

Should the Committee on Finance further deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider increasing the amount of the monthly needs allowance to $65 per month.  According to DHS, the current appropriation is able to cover an increase in the monthly needs allowance from $50 per month to $65 per month; however, should there be an increase of four clients over the projected client population of 2,738 clients, expenditures will exceed the State Supplemental Payment appropriation.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1514, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1514, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair