STAND. COM. REP. NO. 627

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1054
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B.
No. 1054 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SUNSET CLAUSE IN ACT 128,
     SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 1997,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this administration bill is to make permanent
Hawaii's opting out of a certain portion of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (section
115(a) of Public Law 104-193), that terminates the eligibility of
an individual convicted of a drug related felony after August 22,
1996, for federal financial assistance and food stamps.

     This bill accomplishes this by removing the sunset provision
of Act 128, Session Laws of Hawaii 1997, which would have
repealed this Hawaii opt out on June 15, 1999.

     Your Committee finds that welfare payments and food stamps
are a principal source of funding for substance abuse treatment
programs.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will
help to ensure the continued availability of treatment,
especially for women, increasing their likelihood of successfully
moving from welfare to work and properly caring for their
children.  This measure will also help prevent an increase in
crime that would result from the loss of support and access to
drug treatment and other essential social services.

 
a                                                     SB1054
 
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 627
                                   Page 2


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
1054 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
a                                                     SB1054