Report Title:

Bridge to Hope

 

Description:

Extends $300,000 in 2000-2001 funding until June 30, 2002 and appropriates $300,000 for fiscal year 2002-2003, to be expended by the University of Hawaii for the Bridge to Hope program. (SD1)

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

130

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

making an appropriation for bridge to hope program.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The Federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 abolished the sixty-one-year-old Aid to Families with Dependent Children entitlement program and replaced it with a transitional aid program called the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program that requires recipients who are able to work to secure employment at the earliest opportunity. The new law places a heavy burden on the states to meet strict work participation requirements.

The federal requirements have set a laudable goal. Work is the cornerstone of the community's shared values of personal responsibility and self-sufficiency. In addition, work promotes self-discipline and self-esteem.

The vast majority of public assistance recipients share the community values of parental responsibility and work ethic, and will accept financial responsibility for themselves and their children when given a real opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency. However, many barriers to work frustrate the best efforts of public assistance recipients to join the work force on a permanent basis. Moreover, strong competition for scarce jobs often leaves behind those with little experience or education.

Over ninety per cent of assistance households are currently headed by women. Since approximately two-thirds of all women in Hawaii are working in sales, clerical, and service type jobs, which receive the lowest wages, it is unlikely that the majority of assistance households will be able to move out of poverty and be self-sufficient without adding to their knowledge and skills to increase their earning capacity.

Toward that end, the legislature finds that transitional benefits are needed to provide the necessary support to enable recipients to secure education and training beyond high school.

The purpose of this Act is to support the successful transition from public assistance to self-sufficiency through a transitional benefits program for public assistance recipients.

It is the intent of this Act to encourage the department of human services, through the financial assistance advisory committee, to work in collaboration with the University of Hawaii to establish policies that encourage the pursuit and successful completion of higher education for single parents and their children to achieve a stable future.

SECTION 2. Act 276, Session Laws of Hawaii 2000, is amended by amending section 4 to read as follows:

"SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for fiscal year of 2000-2001, for the bridge-to-hope program[.] ; provided that this appropriation shall lapse on June 30, 2002. A staff position for outreach and up to $25,000 in operating expenses may be funded out of this appropriation.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $300,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year of 2002-2003, for the bridge-to-hope program, including one position for outreach.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.