Report Title:

Public Assistance; Disregard of Assets; Keiki Caucus

 

Description:

Requires the department of human services to disregard specified assets for purposes of determining eligibility for certain public assistance benefits.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2039

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§346-    Eligibility for public assistance; asset disregard.  (a)  The determination for eligibility for any public assistance program specified under subsection (b) shall disregard in its entirety the value of any asset, owned by the applicant or recipient, including:

     (1)  Personal property;

     (2)  Real property;

     (3)  Automobiles or motor vehicles;

     (4)  Individual development accounts;

     (5)  Individual retirement accounts;

     (6)  Burial spaces and funeral plans;

     (7)  Household goods (for example, appliances, furniture, and televisions);

     (8)  Personal effects (for example, clothes, shoes, and jewelry not intended for investment);

     (9)  The cash value of life insurance policies;

    (10)  The cash value of pension plans or funds;

    (11)  Work-related equipment (for example, tools and equipment used in a trade); and

    (12)  Liquid assets that can quickly be converted into cash (for example, bank accounts, stocks, and bonds);

without regard to the nature or extent of the ownership interest of the applicant or recipient in the asset, the value of the equity (fair market value minus encumbrances), or in the case of real property, the nature of the tenancy or the right thereto.

     (b)  Subsection (a) shall apply to the medicaid program, temporary assistance to needy families program; food stamp program; financial assistance program; MedQUEST program; and QUEST-Net program."

     SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________