STAND. COM. REP. NO.  578-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2897

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2897 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR ASSET BUILDING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish a three-year pilot project to conduct and expand asset-building classes for individuals with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities.

 

     DHS and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent of this bill.  The State Procurement Office provided comments.

 

     One testifier stated that approximately 44 percent of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients are individuals with disabilities who may have more difficulty satisfying TANF requirements.  More screening of TANF recipients with disabilities is necessary to determine the needs of these individuals.

 

     Your Committee urges DHS to consider reasonable services not currently offered to TANF recipients with disabilities and to conduct an evaluation and inventory of existing services to determine if there is a need to establish additional services for this population.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Referencing a more appropriate procurement law for asset-building services; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2897, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2897, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair