CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 67

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 330

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

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. 330, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN EARNED INCOME DISREGARD PROGRAM,"

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 require the Department of Human Services to:

(1) Implement an earned income disregard program as an intermediate step to implementing a full Medicaid buy-in program; and

(2) Submit reports to the Legislature.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the Medicaid Buy-In Task Force recommended an earned income disregard as an interim step to a Medicaid buy-in program, to allow individuals with disabilities to earn income and not lose their Medicaid benefits, which they would be at risk of losing given the current Medicaid eligibility rules. While this interim program would not provide the full benefits of a Medicaid buy-in program, it would increase the amount of income an individual could earn while retaining Medicaid eligibility, encourage the employment of individuals with disabilities, and enable current Medicaid beneficiaries to become more self-sufficient.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Human Services to allow an earned income disregard of one hundred thirty-eight percent of the federal poverty level for people with disabilities who are between the ages of sixteen and sixty-four years;

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

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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. 330, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 330, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, 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	____________________________ RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN Chair
____________________________ NADINE K. NAKAMURA Co-Chair	____________________________ GIL RIVIERE Co-Chair