STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1973

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 330

S.D. 1

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 330, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to:

(1) Implement an Earned Income Disregard Program (Program), that disregards income earned by otherwise medicaid-eligible individuals with disabilities who are between the ages of sixteen and sixty-four when determining eligibility for medicaid, as an intermediate step to implementing a full Medicaid Buy-in Program; and

(2) Report to the Legislature with an update of the Program and the viability of implementing a full Medicaid Buy-in Program.

The Hawaii Self-Advocacy Advisory Council, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and several individuals supported this measure. The Department of Human Services and State Council on Developmental Disabilities provided 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 S.B. No. 330, S.D. 1, 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