STAND. COM. REP. NO. 672

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 219

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 219 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to encourage individuals with disabilities to gain employment and improve their employment opportunities by requiring the Department of Human Services to implement an Earned Income Credit Disregard Program as an intermediate step to implementing a full Medicaid Buy-In Program.

Hawaii Disability Rights Center and O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i supported this measure. The Department of Human Services offered comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to January 1, 2059, to encourage further discussion on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 219, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 219, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair