STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2811

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 2512
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred H.B. No. 2512 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
     PAYMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to allow the Department of
Human Services (DHS) to administratively increase the assistance
allowance.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the DHS and a private individual.

     Current law allows the DHS to only reduce the assistance
allowance paid to non-exempt households with minor dependents
under the temporary assistance to needy families or TANF program,
in order to provide work incentives.  This measure is intended to
allow the DHS to increase the allowance payments in order to meet
the financial needs of families as it deems proper.  Your
Committee finds that increasing the assistance allowances may be
necessary as an incentive for families to get jobs, particularly
in cases where being employed might entail added expenses such as
clothing and transportation.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2811
                                   Page 2


of H.B. No. 2512 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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