Report Title:

Appropriations; Food and Financial Assistance for Housing

Description:

Appropriates funds for grants-in-aid to the office of community services to provide food for Hawaii's needy, and funds to HCDCH to provide financial assistance that addresses the housing needs of Hawaii's needy during an emergency caused by an economic emergency.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

878

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO SOCIAL WELFARE.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, had a devastating economic impact on the State of Hawaii. Severe slowdowns in the travel and tourism industries have damaged our tourism-based economy and have cost many workers their jobs. The massive number of layoffs, furloughs, and other cutbacks in the workforce forced many families to struggle to attain even the basic necessities for living such as food and shelter.

The legislature further finds that since the events of September 11, the ongoing war on terrorism and potential future confrontations with other nations or groups that are violently opposed to the United States may impact heavily on the citizens and resources of this State. It is therefore incumbent upon the State to ensure that contingencies are in place should an attack on the United States or some other event cause hardship to Hawaii's residents.

The legislature finds that expenditures from the emergency

budget and reserve fund established by section 328L-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, may be needed to meet the conditions of emergency, economic downturn, and unforeseen reduction in revenues that may confront the State in the event of a terrorist or other attack on the United States. Further, the legislature finds that the appropriations in this Act are consistent with the purposes of the emergency budget and reserve fund.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to provide funding for food and financial assistance for housing to assist those who lack these critical items. This Act will take effect, however, only if the governor issues a proclamation declaring an economic emergency for any period during the interim between the 2003 and 2004 regular sessions of the legislature. An economic emergency is one in which there has been a two hundred per cent statewide increase in initial claims filed for unemployment benefits, other than claims resulting from a labor dispute, when compared with initial claims filed in the corresponding week of the preceding calendar year.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the emergency budget and reserve fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for the office of community services of the department of labor and industrial relations to fund grants-in-aid to provide food for Hawaii's needy.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of budget and finance for the purposes of this Act; provided that the appropriation authorized by this section shall be made only if the governor issues a proclamation as provided in section 8 before 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2004.

SECTION 3. Of the $1,000,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2003-2004 from the emergency budget and reserve fund to the office of community services of the department of labor and industrial relations, there is appropriated the sum of $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, to fund grants-in-aid to provide food for Hawaii's needy.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of community services of the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act; provided that the sum appropriated in this section shall not be expended for any administrative purposes; and provided further that the appropriation authorized by this section shall be made only if the governor issues a proclamation as provided in section 8 before 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2004.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the emergency budget and reserve fund of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, for the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii to provide financial assistance that addresses the housing needs of Hawaii's needy.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of budget and finance for the purposes of this Act; provided that the appropriation authorized by this section shall be made only if the governor issues a proclamation as provided in section 8 before 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2004.

SECTION 5. Of the $1,000,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2003-2004 from the emergency budget and reserve fund to the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii, there is appropriated the sum of $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, to provide financial assistance that addresses the housing needs of Hawaii's needy.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act; provided that the sum appropriated in this section shall not be expended for any administrative purposes, and provided further that the appropriation authorized by this section shall be made only if the governor issues a proclamation as provided in section 8 is published before 5:00 p.m. on January 13, 2004.

SECTION 6. The expenditure of funds appropriated in this Act shall be subject to financial audits by the office of the auditor.

SECTION 7. The office of community services and the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii shall submit detailed expenditure reports of the funds appropriated in this Act to the legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the regular session of 2004.

SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect only if the governor issues a proclamation declaring an economic emergency for any period between May 2, 2003, to January 13, 2004, if the governor finds that, during this time period, there has been a two hundred per cent statewide increase in initial claims filed for unemployment benefits, other than claims resulting from a labor dispute, when compared with initial claims filed in the corresponding week of the preceding calendar year; provided that this Act shall be repealed on January 14, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

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