Report Title:

Homeless, Return to Home State

Description:

Establishes a pilot project to fund tickets for homeless people from out of state to return to their home state.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1540

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO THE HOMELESS.

 

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

SECTION 1. Hawaii's temperate climate and famed aloha spirit lure many to Hawaii who dream of a better life. Unfortunately, some of these dreams fail to materialize, and these transplants find themselves without a job or home, with no way to return to their home states. Hawaii's geographic isolation ensures that options to return to one's home state available on the mainland – trains, bus, driving, even hitchhiking – do not exist here. These homeless people have no way to return to their home states, where they may have family or friends who can shelter them and act as a support system until they can get back on their feet.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a pilot project for these homeless people who want to return to their home states but have no way to finance the flight. The project is not designed to move people involuntarily, but to work with those who want to go back but cannot afford to go.

The social and economic cost of the homeless in our State is significant and growing. If the State can assist some of the homeless to get off the streets by helping repatriate them, it will save the State money as well as help people to get back on their feet.

SECTION 2. There is established in the department of human services for administrative purposes the homeless repatriation pilot project. The project shall assist homeless persons in Hawaii who are not originally from the State to return to their home states. The pilot project is not intended for anyone who does not willingly wish to leave the State.

The department shall contract with one or more Hawaii-based nonprofit organizations in each county. These organizations shall serve as gatekeepers to identify homeless persons in their county who (1) are originally from a state other than Hawaii, (2) lack the assets to return to their home state, and (3) wish to return to their home state. The department may further contract with one or more nonprofits to administer the pilot project, or may administer it itself.

The pilot project shall work with the people identified by the gatekeeper agencies to purchase tickets to send these people to either: a state in which they have previously resided; or another state, if the homeless person can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the administrator that a family member resides in that location and has committed to helping support the homeless person in making the transition back to life in that state. Under no circumstances shall the pilot project help send a person to any other state or otherwise commit the practice of "dumping" the person on a state with which the person has no contacts.

The department shall submit a status report to the legislature not less than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2004 and 2005. The report, without identifying any individuals, shall provide statistics for each county and each gatekeeper organization on the number of people assisted each fiscal year in the pilot project. The report shall also recommend: whether the pilot project should be continued as a project, with or without changes; whether it should be made permanent; or whether it should be discontinued.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, for the homeless repatriation pilot project.

SECTION 4. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003, and shall be repealed on July 1, 2005.

INTRODUCED BY:

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