STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2002

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 479

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 479, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII ABLE SAVINGS PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the funding sources of the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund;

(2) Repeal the Director of Finance's discretionary authority to use monies in the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund under certain circumstances;

(3) Authorize the Director of Finance to expend monies in the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund to provide incentive payments to ABLE account owners; and

(4) Appropriate funds for incentive payments and a full-time position to support the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Hawaii Self-Advocacy Advisory Council; one member of the Kaua‘i County Council; Easterseals Hawaii; Work Now Hawaii; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; Arc of Maui County; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the number of full-time equivalent positions created by this measure to an unspecified number;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 479, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 479, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair