CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 102

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1231

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1231, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SPOUSE AND CHILD ABUSE SPECIAL FUND,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Update the name of the spouse and child abuse special fund;

(2) Exempt the spouse and child abuse special fund from the administrative expense assessment;

(3) Allow the Department of Human Services to retain reimbursements of federal funds to provide funding for child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention services; and

(4) Specify the maximum amount that may be retained in the spouse and child abuse special fund and require all amounts above the maximum to lapse to the credit of the general fund.

Your Committee on Conference finds that, beginning on October 1, 2019, the federal Family First Prevention Services Act will permit states the option of using Social Security Title IV-E (Title IV-E) funds for child abuse prevention services. However, under existing state law, the Department of Human Services is not allowed to retain federal reimbursement funds received in the following fiscal year from which they were expended. Your Committee on Conference finds that this measure allows the Department of Human Services to take advantage of the federal option by permitting the Department to retain Title IV-E federal reimbursements in the spouse and child abuse special fund, which will help to stabilize child welfare program funding.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language exempting the spouse and child abuse special fund from the administrative expense assessment;

(2) Setting the maximum amount that may be retained in the spouse and child abuse special fund at $3,000,000;

(3) Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1231, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1231, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair
____________________________ NADINE K. NAKAMURA Co-Chair	____________________________ GIL RIVIERE Co-Chair
	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair