REPORT TITLE:
General Fund Revenues


DESCRIPTION:
Requires the department of budget and finance to dedicate
specified percentages of the amount in the general fund each year
for ten years to programs relating to preconceptual, perinatal,
early intervention, and family support services to age 5.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           861
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE GENERAL FUND. 


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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the most costly
 
 2 social problems have roots in childhood, particularly during the
 
 3 formative years from birth to school age.  Studies in early brain
 
 4 development reveal that the human brain is literally being wired,
 
 5 almost like a computer being programmed, during the first three
 
 6 years of life with the first year being the most critical.  The
 
 7 legislature further finds that parental nurturing is the
 
 8 ingredient that promotes healthy growth and development.  One
 
 9 study noted that by age three, a child who is abused or neglected
 
10 bears scars that are virtually impossible to erase.  Other
 
11 current studies that have looked at risk factors generally agree
 
12 that multiple risk factors usually combine to create adverse
 
13 outcomes.
 
14      The legislature further finds that Hawaii spends significant
 
15 funds dealing with "rotten outcomes" of childhood.  These costs
 
16 are building and operating correctional facilities for youths and
 
17 adults, supporting extremely emotionally disturbed children in
 
18 expensive residential treatment programs, treatment and group
 
19 homes for acting out youth, adult and children mental health
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           861
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 services, remedial education services, police systems, and the
 
 2 like.  Social costs are incurred in disrupted classrooms and
 
 3 unsafe schools, streets, and communities, and increasing violent
 
 4 crimes against tourists.  Homelessness is associated with mental
 
 5 illness for many people in Hawaii.
 
 6      The legislature further finds that early intervention
 
 7 services with young children at risk are an obvious long term
 
 8 solution to the problem of increasing social costs which could be
 
 9 averted if addressed strategically.  The legislature began a
 
10 movement in this direction with the Healthy Start program.  In
 
11 addition, there are a range of early intervention services which
 
12 in combination could make a tremendous difference for Hawaii's
 
13 children, state budget, and social environment.
 
14      The purpose of this Act is to establish a healthy start
 
15 special fund to be used for motherhood and early childhood
 
16 programs.
 
17      SECTION 2.  Chapter 37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
18 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
19 read as follows:
 
20      "�37-    Set aside of revenues for motherhood and early
 
21 childhood programs.  (a)  Thirty days after the end of each
 
22 fiscal year, the department of budget and finance shall deposit
 
23 into the healthy start special fund, which is hereby created, a
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           861
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 percentage of revenues received by the state general fund during
 
 2 the fiscal year to be used for programs relating to
 
 3 preconceptual, perinatal, early intervention, and family support
 
 4 services to age five.  The percentages shall be as follows:
 
 5      (1)  .125% for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000;
 
 6      (2)  .25% for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2001, and
 
 7           June 30, 2002;
 
 8      (3)  .50% for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2003, and
 
 9           June 30, 2004;
 
10      (4)  .75% for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005; and
 
11      (5)  1.00% for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2006, and
 
12           thereafter until June 30, 2010.
 
13      (b)  All revenues that are deposited into the healthy start
 
14 special fund under subsection (a) shall be used solely for
 
15 appropriations for the healthy start program."
 
16      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
17      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.
 
18 
 
19                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________