STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1467

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     H.B. No. 1554

        H.D. 2

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1554, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES OPERATING BUDGET,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate or authorize funds, amend positions, or amend means of financing for various operating expenses of the Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, Department of Transportation, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Roman Catholic Church in the State of Hawaii, HOPE Services Hawaii, Hawaii Kai Homeless Task Force, Partners in Care, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure expresses adjustments to the programs or positions included, maximum sums appropriated or authorized, or means of financing indicated for the Department of Human Services in the General Appropriations Act of 2017, as amended by the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2018.

 

     Your Committee notes that S.B. No. 474, S.D. 2 (Regular Session of 2019), which was previously passed by the Senate, and S.B. No. 474, S.D. 1 (Regular Session of 2019), which was previously passed by your Committee, are similar measures appropriating and authorizing funds for various operating expenses of the Department of Human Services.  Your Committee concludes that the line items in S.B. No. 474, S.D. 2, and the appropriation amounts in S.B. No. 474, S.D. 1, are preferable because they best reflect the current needs of the Department of Human Services.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting its line items and replacing them with the line items contained in S.B. No. 474, S.D. 2;

 

     (2)  Inserting the appropriation amounts from S.B. No. 474, S.D. 1 for the line items contained in S.B. No. 474, S.D. 2;

 

     (3)  Including an appropriation in the amount of $5,000,000 in general funds for stored property and debris removal services for state lands (HMS224);

 

     (4)  Including an appropriation for the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's operating budget (HMS222);

 

     (5)  Consolidating the appropriations for the in-community youth programs (HMS501);

 

     (6)  Including an appropriation to fund five existing permanent social worker positions, which is a trade-off from the elimination of three permanent youth correction officer positions and transferring personal services funds (HMS503);

 

     (7)  Restoring the vocational rehabilitation fringe benefits;

 

     (8)  Removing the appropriation to fund the Commission on the Status of Women (HMS888);

 

     (9)  Including a capital improvement project appropriation for the Hawaii youth correctional facility (HMS503);

 

    (10)  Including an appropriation for Hoopono flood zone remediation (HMS802);

 

    (11)  Converting the public information officer position from a temporary position to a permanent position; and

 

    (12)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     Your Committee's intent in recommending this amended measure for passage is for the adjustments expressed to be incorporated into the General Appropriations Act of 2019 or other appropriate legislative vehicle or to be adopted separately.  As such, your Committee requests that if your Committee on Ways and Means passes this measure that it consider incorporating the adjustments expressed by this measure into the appropriate legislative vehicle or amend this measure to include any provisions necessary to effectuate its purpose and intent.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1554, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1554, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair