STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1828

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 58

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 58 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING A FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT AUDIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES' USE OF FEDERAL TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES FUNDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request a fiscal and management audit of the Department of Human Services' use of Federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds.

The Department of Human Services, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and an individual submitted testimony in support of this measure. The National Association of Social Workers submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committee finds that funds appropriated by the Legislature for specific purposes should be expended for those purposes, and not otherwise, and there is a need to responsibly account for the expenditure of limited anti-poverty funds. The possible misuse of federal funds by a state agency is a serious matter that must be scrutinized by the Legislature. Recently, $1,000,000 from TANF funds originally intended for anti-poverty programs was diverted and used for anti-drug and alcohol abuse publicity. Additionally, TANF funds were used in place of state funds authorized for State Foundation on Culture and the Arts programs.

Your Committee finds that the audit requested by this measure, in addition to the audit being conducted by the Federal Office of the Inspector General, will help to resolve the concerns raised regarding the TANF program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 58, and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair