STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2868

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2050

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2050, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the employment of Hawaii residents with disabilities.

 

     More specifically, this measure:

 

(1)  Requires the Department of Human Services to:

 

(A)  Allow an earned income disregard for certain individuals with disabilities;

 

(B)  Evaluate the earned income disregard program at least annually; and

 

(C)  Submit an annual report to the Legislature of any updates regarding the earned income disregard program and the viability of implementing a full medicaid buy-in program; and

 

(2)  Authorizes the Department of Human Services to adopt or amend administrative rules in order to implement this measure.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Disability and Communication Access Board; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; and two concerned individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee finds that encouraging employment of persons with disabilities could benefit employers and provide disabled participants with meaningful employment.  Your Committee believes that requiring the Department of Human Services to allow an earned income disregard for certain individuals could help to encourage employment of residents with disabilities.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure;

 

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 2050, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2050, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair