Report Title:

Bridge to Hope; Educational Activities; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Bridge to Hope Program to accommodate new federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program recipient-students to enable them to pursue education activities beyond the new two-year federal limit.  Makes other clarifying amendments.  (HB473 HD1)

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

473

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

relating to temporary assistance for needy families.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that recent changes to the federal temporary assistance for needy families program rules and subsequent first-to-work program changes, which limit educational activities to two years of study leading to vocational or technical degrees to meet federal work requirements, exempts currently participating students and allows them to finish their education.  For example, current first-to-work participating students who are pursuing a baccalaureate degree are transferred to the state-funded bridge to hope program to continue their studies.  However, new federal temporary assistance for needy families program first-to-work participating students are restricted to the new two-year education activity option to receive vocational or technical degrees.  These students will no longer be able to continue to pursue a four-year baccalaureate degree in favorite areas of study such as pre-nursing without violating federal work rules.

     The purpose of this Act is to make clarifying amendments and appropriate funds to the bridge to hope program to enable new federal temporary assistance for needy families program first-to-work students to continue their educational activities beyond the two-year federal limit by transferring them to the state-funded bridge to hope program.

     SECTION 2.  Section 346-68, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  There is created within the department a post-secondary education benefits program, to be known as the bridge to hope program, for heads of households in the [temporary assistance to needy families program.] first-to-work or cash support for families pursuing self-sufficiency programs.

     (b)  To receive assistance under [this program] these programs, the [single] parent shall:

     (1)  Be enrolled as a student each term;

     (2)  Maintain passing grades or better throughout the course of study; and

     (3)  Meet work activity requirements as defined by the department."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $       or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the bridge to hope program to accommodate new federal temporary assistance for needy families program first-to-work students to enable them to pursue educational activities beyond the new two-year federal limit.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services 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, except that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2007.