STAND. COM. REP. NO. 645

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 58

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 58 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the Department of Human Services to administer and provide public assistance to eligible residents of the State during a Governor-declared state of emergency.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that public assistance is a critical component of disaster management, ensuring that individuals and communities can survive, recover, and rebuild after a crisis. Your Committee further finds that emergency situations often overwhelm local resources and that state and federal governments are needed to step in and provide financial aid, logistical support, and coordination to manage the crisis effectively. This measure supports the provision of essential resources and support to individuals, families, and communities that are affected by disasters or crises, including certain "able-bodied" individuals between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five years of age.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to allow the Department of Human Services to expend funds from the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to provide public assistance to eligible residents during a Governor-declared state of emergency; provided that any funds expended from the fund shall be reimbursed with any federal funds as appropriate or a general fund appropriation in the regular session immediately succeeding the expenditure;

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified amount as the maximum amount of funds the Department of Human Services may expand from the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an amount to be requested by the Department of Human Services, as the highest amount needed to provide public assistance during a Governor-declared state of emergency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 58, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 58, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair