STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3363

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 540
                                        H.D. 2
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B.
No. 540, H.D. 2, 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 provide state-funded
medical assistance to legal immigrants.

     This measure also:

     (1)  Provides an unspecified percentage amount of tobacco
          settlement moneys to be transferred from the Department
          of Health to the Department of Human Services for the
          Children's Health Insurance Program;

     (2)  Makes an unspecified appropriation to provide
          state-funded medical assistance to legal immigrants;
          and

     (3)  Makes an unspecified appropriation to fund the
          Children's Health Insurance Program up to three hundred
          per cent of the federal poverty level for Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that of all disadvantaged groups,
children remain undefended and unrepresented with respect to

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3363
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medical insurance coverage.  Many childhood illnesses and
diseases if treated promptly and thoroughly can assure the child
of a healthy, handicap free adulthood.  Immigrants, as a general
rule are younger than average and often have many children and
may experience economic hardship as a result.  The availability
of medical care therefore is critically important to these
families.

     Your Committee also finds that Hawaii is one of the
beneficiaries of the tobacco settlement moneys and further finds
that the use of some of these moneys for medical assistance to
legal immigrants and migrants would be money well spent for the
prevention of health care problems in the future.  This measure
is designed to provide medical assistance for these needy
individuals.

     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 H.B. No.
540, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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