STAND. COM. REP. NO. 821

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1668

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1668, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify public assistance eligibility requirements for the aged, blind, temporarily incapacitated, and disabled persons.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

(1)  Clarifies:

 

(A)  Public assistance eligibility requirements for aged, blind, disabled, and temporarily incapacitated persons; and

 

(B)  That the aged, blind, disabled, and temporarily incapacitated households are required to apply for assistance on forms prescribed by the Department of Human Services;

 

(2)  Repeals the statute providing general assistance to households without minor dependents; and

 

(3)  Deletes references in other statutes to general assistance to households without minor dependents;

 

(4)  Authorizes the Director of Human Services, with the approval of the Governor, to expend funds for public assistance through the transfer of moneys from other programs under the purview of the Director of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee received one written comment on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee believes that creating a single disability benefits program for those on disability assistance will ensure that these individuals receive the same level of assistance regardless of the type of disability.  This will ensure that there are no disparities in benefits or obstacles to transferring funds between programs serving these populations.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1668, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1668, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair