STAND. COM. REP. NO. 491

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1054
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.B. No. 1054 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SUNSET CLAUSE IN ACT 128,
     SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 1997,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this administration measure is to remove the
sunset provision in Act 128, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997.

     This measure will continue Hawaii's "opt out" of the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act,
which terminates the eligibility for federal financial assistance
and food stamps for any individual convicted of a drug related
felony after August 22, 1996. 

     Testimony in favor of this measure was received from the
Department of Human Services, the Hawaii State Department of
Health, and Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition (HSAC).

     Your Committee finds that welfare payments and food stamps
are a principal source of funding for substance abuse treatment
programs.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will
help to ensure the continued availability of treatment,
especially for women, increasing their likelihood of successfully
moving from welfare to work and properly caring for their
children.  This measure will also help prevent an increase in
crime that would result from the loss of support and access to
drug treatment and other essential social services.

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 491
                                   Page 2



     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 1054 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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