Bill Text: HI SB1094 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Appropriation; Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-07-09 - Act 267, 7/3/2013 (Gov. Msg. No. 1370). [SB1094 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SB1094-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 555

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1094

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1094 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE EMERGENCY AND BUDGET RESERVE FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to recapitalize the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund.

 

     More specifically, this measure appropriates $25,000,000 from general funds to the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund for fiscal year 2014-2015.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor, the Department of Budget and Finance, and Catholic Charities of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that sufficient fiscal reserves are critical to sustain the State through difficult economic times and that, in 2008 during the economic downturn, the State was forced to enact many cost-saving measures including downsizing many programs and services, hiring freezes, and furloughs.  Your Committee recognizes that the use of the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund and the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund during the economic recession prevented even greater spending reductions and revenue enhancement measures and enabled continued delivery of services to the State's most vulnerable population.  Your Committee therefore finds that recapitalizing the fiscal reserves for the State is essential to safeguard the future economic well-being of the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing all sums to unspecified amounts to facilitate further discussion; and

 

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for 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. 1094, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1094, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

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

 

		____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair