151
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.              H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                               
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO DEVELOP A "SAFETY
   NET" PROGRAM TO ASSIST PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS WHO WILL
   BE EXHAUSTING THEIR LIFETIME LIMIT FOR FEDERAL WELFARE
   ASSISTANCE.



 1       WHEREAS, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities
 2   Reconciliation Act of 1996 permits beneficiaries to receive
 3   federal welfare benefits for a lifetime maximum of five years;
 4   and 
 5   
 6       WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services (DHS) estimates
 7   that commencing in December 2001, approximately 6,000 Hawaii
 8   residents who are currently receiving welfare benefits from the
 9   federal government may have those benefits permanently
10   terminated; and
11   
12       WHEREAS, it is foreseeable that many of these individuals
13   may suffer destitution and deprivation as a result of such
14   termination; and
15   
16       WHEREAS, a "safety net" program may be necessary to provide
17   for those who will still require public assistance; now,
18   therefore,  
19   
20       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
21   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
22   of 2000, that DHS is requested to develop a "safety net"
23   program to address the needs of public assistance recipients
24   who will be exhausting their five-year lifetime eligibility for
25   federal welfare benefits, but who will still require public
26   assistance; and
27   
28       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DHS is requested to develop a
29   report containing the details of the "safety net" program,
30   including:
31   
32       (1)  An examination of the expected future impact of the
33            five-year welfare benefit limit on affected families
34            and individuals in Hawaii;
35   
36       (2)  An estimate of all costs associated in establishing a
37            "safety net" program;

 
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 1       (3)  Any proposed legislation recommended in establishing a
 2            "safety net" program;
 3   
 4       (4)  A summary of approaches towards establishing a "safety
 5            net" program that have been adopted in other state
 6            jurisdictions; and
 7   
 8       (5)  A summary of the findings of studies undertaken in
 9            other jurisdictions relating to alternative strategies
10            for ameliorating the impact of the five-year welfare
11            benefit limit on the poor;
12   
13   and
14   
15       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in the process of developing 
16   the "safety net" program report, the DHS is requested to secure
17   the involvement of other state departments, current federal
18   welfare recipients, local businesses, nonprofit organizations,
19   and other concerned persons and entities; and
20      
21       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DHS submit the report to the
22   Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of
23   the Regular Session of 2001; and
24   
25       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this
26   Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Services.