STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1093

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1121
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred H.B. No. 1121 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SUNSET CLAUSE IN ACT 128,
     SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 1997,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this administration measure is to repeal the
sunset date of Act 128, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, relating to
allowing felons convicted for controlled substance crimes to
receive temporary assistance to needy families (TANF) benefits
and to receive food stamps.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Human Services, Department of Health, and
Hawaii Substance Coalition.

     Act 128 was in response to federal welfare reform
legislation, Public Law 104-193, that prohibited felons convicted
of crimes that had the element of possession, use, or
distribution of a controlled substance from participating in TANF
and receiving food stamps, unless states opted out of the
prohibition, as in Act 128.  The repeal of the sunset provision
of two years allows these convicted felons to continue to receive
TANF assistance and food stamps.

     Your Committee finds that there are strong policy
considerations for this measure.  Withholding TANF benefits and
food stamps for needy families could push individuals who have

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1093
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served their time deeper into poverty and could overburden
already limited local resources leading to:  increased
homelessness, hunger, family breakup, child abuse and neglect,
deteriorating educational achievement for children, poor overall
health and an increase in health-related expenditures, and
increased costs for the criminal justice system from repeat
offenders who return to crime because of persistent poverty and
desperation.

     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 H.B. No. 1121 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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