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LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP

     The 2006 Legislative Session will have ended by the time you read this.

     We started out the session in January with six issues:

 1) A bigger piece of the pie- which meant doubling the amount of grant-in-aids to support nonprofit agencies in the state;

 2) increasing the standard of need to the current federal poverty level;

 3) supporting treatment for substance abusing mothers;

 4) developing universal health insurance;

 5) providing for a state earned income tax credit; and

 6) updating the intentional termination of pregnancy statute.

     We also added our voice on bills to:

1) provide funds for language access;

2) establish an “inactive” license category; and

3) support a resolution requesting the Governor or Department of Health to convene a task force to minimize the census at the Hawaii State Hospital and  promote community based health services for forensic patients.

       As with any session, we win some and lose some. The legislative process is all about compromise.  A chart on the outcome of several bills social workers may be interested in is included in the newsletter. You are able to view the actual bill that passed by going to www.capitol.hawaii.gov  and click on “bill status and documents” or scroll down to “bills passed by bill number”.

     One bill that we have been working on for over ten years was to increase the amount of cash assistance to TANF and TAONF recipients.

     While SB 475 CD1 passed to increase the standard of need to the 2006 federal poverty level (FPL), we advocated for the “current” FPL. The word “current” would have allowed an automatic cost of living increase (3%) each year.  The bill that passed set the year at 2006 but it will remain at 2006 ten years from now.

     SB 475 also lowered the percentage the Dept of Human Service (DHS) can calculate the standard of assistance to 33 percent the 2006 FPL.  In reality, 33 percent of the 2006 FPL is the level of funding our welfare families are currently  receiving. Additionally, there was no increase in the amount of money DHS was allocated to spend from TANF funds for cash assistance so in effect, there is NO CHANGE in the cash assistance for welfare recipients.

      The newspapers have incorrectly reported that the benefits would “substantially increase”.  We will continue to advocate for DHS to request more than 33% of the 2006 FPL in the future. years.