Bill Text: HI HB479 | 2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Public Assistance.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-01-27 - Referred to PDP, HHH, FIN, referral sheet 1 [HB479 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2021-HB479-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
479 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to public assistance.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§346- General
assistance to households upon the governor's declaration of a state of emergency. (a) Upon issuance of a proclamation by the governor
declaring a state of emergency in the State under section 127A-14, the
department may administer and provide public assistance during the emergency
period to persons who are not otherwise provided for under this chapter and who
are unable to provide sufficient support for themselves or those dependent upon
them; provided that such persons:
(1) Are bona fide
residents of this State, as determined by the residency criteria set out in section
346‑71(a);
(2) Have furnished
to the department for each member of their assistance unit a social security
account number or verification that an application was made with the Social
Security Administration for a social security account number; and
(3) Satisfy the income
criteria adopted by the department and other conditions set forth in this
section.
(b) A person between eighteen and sixty-five
years of age shall be eligible for general assistance under this section if the
person is:
(1) Determined
to be needy in accordance with standards established by this chapter and the
rules adopted under subsection (f);
(2) Unable
to meet the income and financial resources eligibility criteria for the federal
supplemental security income program or its successor; and
(3) Unable to
engage in any substantial gainful activity because of the governor-declared state
of emergency.
(c) The allowance for general assistance under
this section shall not exceed the monthly federal supplemental security income
benefit payment for this State.
(d) Applicants and recipients shall satisfy all applicable
provisions of this section. Recipients
disqualified for failure to comply with any of the requirements under this
section shall be excluded from general assistance under this section for a
period not to exceed twelve months.
(e)
Failure of any adult member of the assistance unit to comply with the
requirements or conditions of general assistance under this section shall
disqualify the entire assistance unit from receiving financial assistance under
this section; provided that the assistance unit shall not be disqualified if
the adult member is disqualified for failing to meet the work
requirement and the
assistance unit was formed after such failure had occurred.
(f) Within the limitations of this section, the
department shall, by rules adopted pursuant to chapter 91, determine:
(1) The allowance
for general assistance under this section based on the total amount available
from applicable federal funds;
(2) A method for
determining assistance amounts; and
(3) Other necessary
provisions to implement, administer, and provide general assistance under this
section.
(g)
As used in this section:
"Assistance unit" means a
person or group of persons whose needs and income are considered in determining
the payment of financial assistance under this section and their dependents.
"Substantial
gainful activity" means work for which the person earns at minimum the
amount set forth in the Social Security Administration's SGA Earnings
Guideline."
SECTION 2. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Department of Human Services; General Assistance; State of Emergency; Emergency Supplementary Income; Eligibility
Description:
Allows the Department of Human Services to administer and provide public assistance to eligible residents of the State during a governor-declared state of emergency.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
