STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3406

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2061

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2061, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD SUPPORT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of the Attorney General to convene a study group to:

 

     (1)  Examine the impact, cost, and any impediments to implementing a program to pass through child support payments to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients; and

 

     (2)  Submit a report to the Legislature prior to the 2021 Regular Session.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and the Domestic Violence Action Center.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Human Services is reimbursed from child support payments collected by the Child
Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) from noncustodial parents of dependent children receiving TANF benefits from the Department.  Part of the child support payments go to reimburse the Department for the TANF benefits paid and another portion is used as reimbursement to the federal government for funding the TANF program.

 

     Your Committee further finds that a program to pass through portions of the child support payments to the needy family instead of using the monies to reimburse the TANF program would require computer system modifications for both the Department and CSEA.  Additionally, the Department is unsure of the long-term fiscal impact of this proposed program.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Including the Department of Human Services in the convening of the study group and submission of the report for the pass through program; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2061, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2061, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair