CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 136

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 479

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 479, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII ABLE SAVINGS PROGRAM,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Repeal language that gives the Director of Finance discretion to use moneys in the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund if the Director elects to accept deposits from contributors instead of sending deposits directly to the ABLE Program Manager; and

(2) Authorize the Director of Finance to expend moneys in the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund to provide incentive payments to ABLE account owners; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program was established to enable individuals with disabilities and their families to save funds in a tax-exempt savings program, allowing individuals with disabilities the same types of flexible savings accounts that people without disabilities have, such as college savings accounts, health savings accounts, and individual retirement accounts. Your Committee on Conference further finds that an ABLE savings account would enable individuals with a disability to save money to pay for necessary expenses, such as medical and dental care, education, community-based supports, employment training, assistive technology, housing, and transportation without the fear of losing crucial benefits, such as Medicaid, providing both financial security and peace of mind. This measure increases awareness and incentives to participate in the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program, ensuring that people with disabilities are fully informed about the opportunities available to them.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $75,000 out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii for each year of the fiscal biennium to be deposited into the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund;

(2) Inserting an appropriation amount of $13,000 out of the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund for each year of the fiscal biennium to be expended by the Department of Budget and Finance to provide incentive payments to ABLE account owners;

(3) Inserting an appropriation amount of $62,000 out of the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program Trust Fund for each year of the fiscal biennium to be expended by the Department of Health to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent position within the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to provide statewide outreach, advocacy, and relationship management for the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program; and

(4) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 479, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 479, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ SUE L. KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair