Bill Text: HI HB734 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [HB734 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2012-HB734-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
734 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY POVERTY REDUCTION TASK FORCE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Findings and purpose. (a) The legislature finds that:
(1) It is in the public interest to pursue the common good whereby all families and individuals in Hawaii have improved access to economic and educational opportunities that help families achieve self-sufficiency and financial security while reducing the number of Hawaii residents living in poverty;
(2) Poverty has social and economic costs for children and families, communities, and the State. Children living in poverty often experience lower academic achievement and increased health and behavioral problems. These problems often continue into adulthood, resulting in greater social and economic costs to society, including increased crime rates, health problems, and negative economic impacts estimated to cost the United States $500,000,000,000 in lost earnings each year;
(3) More and more middle-class Hawaii families and children are living from paycheck to paycheck, especially in these very difficult economic times; and
(4) More states are recognizing that reducing poverty by addressing the needs of low- and moderate-income families is a critical economic development issue. Reducing poverty requires strategic, integrated, and comprehensive approaches that create opportunities for families to achieve economic success, including creating quality jobs, providing work supports, promoting greater collaboration with the private sector, and implementing targeted tax policies.
(b) The purposes of this Act are to:
(1) Create a task force to assess current state policies and practices, along with evidence-based solutions utilized in other states, that promote economic opportunity and poverty reduction; and
(2) Develop a strategic, integrated, and comprehensive plan to expand economic opportunities in Hawaii to reduce, by at least fifty per cent by 2021, the number of Hawaii residents, including children and families, living in poverty.
SECTION 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
"Federal poverty level" means the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the federal register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of title 42 United States Code section 9902(2).
"Poverty" means living at or below one hundred per cent of the federal poverty level.
"Self-sufficiency standard" means a measure of the income needed by a family of a given composition in a given place to adequately meet its basic needs without public or private assistance.
"Supplemental nutrition assistance program" means the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program created in title 7 United States Code section 2011 et seq.
"Task force" means the economic opportunity poverty reduction task force.
SECTION 3. Economic opportunity poverty reduction task force; composition; chairperson; term; no compensation; meetings; subcommittees; duties. (a) There is hereby created the economic opportunity poverty reduction task force to assess current state practices that promote economic opportunity and poverty reduction and to develop a strategic, integrated, and comprehensive plan to expand economic opportunities in Hawaii to reduce, by at least fifty per cent by 2021, the number of Hawaii residents, including children and families, living in poverty.
(b) The task force shall consist of ten members of the legislature as follows:
(1) Five members of the house of representatives, three of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and two of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; and
(2) Five members of the senate, three of whom shall be appointed by the president of the senate and two of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
(c) Each year, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall jointly designate one member of the task force to serve as chairperson of the task force. The first chairperson shall be a member of the house of representatives. Thereafter, the position of task force chairperson shall alternate between the house of representatives and the senate.
(d) Each member of the task force shall serve a two-year term; provided that the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall jointly select five of the initial members to serve one-year terms. Initial appointments to the task force shall be made by August 1, 2011. Members may serve for unlimited consecutive terms.
(e) The members of the task force shall serve without compensation and shall not be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(f) The task force shall meet during each interim at least four times and additionally as convened by the chairperson.
(g) The task force shall appoint subcommittees to advise the task force in completing its duties. The chairperson shall select subcommittee members from stakeholder groups that shall include relevant executive branch agencies, the counties, business and labor organizations, educational organizations, advocates, and individuals directly affected by the work of the task force. The chairperson of the task force shall appoint a member of the task force to chair each subcommittee.
(h) The task force shall:
(1) Assess current state policies and practices that promote economic opportunity and poverty reduction and, before December 31, 2012, shall develop a strategic, integrated, and comprehensive plan that will expand economic opportunities in Hawaii and, by 2021, reduce by at least fifty per cent the number of Hawaii residents, including children and families, living in poverty;
(2) Study and evaluate best policies and practices that:
(A) Build family assets and financial stability;
(B) Increase preschool through postsecondary educational opportunities;
(C) Expand the work force with quality jobs that meet private sector needs;
(D) Make work pay through the use of fair and sustainable targeted tax policies; and
(E) Address work-support issues;
(3) Study and evaluate:
(A) Federally-supported and state-supported programs that serve persons living in poverty;
(B) The economic impact of poverty;
(C) Current policies and services that affect persons living below the self-sufficiency standard;
(D) The interaction of various issues that affect poverty, such as a lack of education, health care, housing, income, child care, and food security; and
(E) The supplemental nutrition assistance program, with the goal of recommending changes to increase participation and secure additional federal funds for assistance with education and training; and
(4) Prior to January 15, 2012, and prior to January 15 each year thereafter, the task force shall prepare and submit a written report to the legislature that includes:
(A) A summary of the work accomplished by the task force over the prior year;
(B) In the initial annual report, an assessment of current policies and procedures that address poverty;
(C) A general description of the scope of the problem in Hawaii with respect to poverty;
(D) An outline of the issues being addressed by the task force and the proposed time frame for addressing those issues; and
(E) Any legislative recommendations as the task force deems necessary.
(i) The task force shall terminate on June 30, 2022.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force
Description:
Establishes the economic opportunity poverty reduction task force to develop a strategic, integrated, and comprehensive plan to expand economic opportunities in Hawaii to reduce, by at least 50% by 2021, the number of Hawaii residents, including children and families, living in poverty.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
