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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO FOSTER BOARD ALLOWANCES FOR STUDENTS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 346-17.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended to read as follows:
 
 3      "§346-17.4  Foster board allowances for students.(a)  Any
 
 4 eligible foster child shall be eligible for foster board
 
 5 allowances after reaching the age of majority and the foster
 
 6 board payments for that person shall be paid to an accredited
 
 7 institution of higher learning or to the person's foster parents,
 
 8 provided that:
 
 9      (1)  The person is twenty-one years old or younger;
 
10      (2)  The person is attending or has been accepted to attend
 
11           an accredited institution of higher learning on a full-
 
12           time basis, or on a part-time basis for the first
 
13           academic year, if approved by the director upon such
 
14           terms and conditions as the director deems appropriate;
 
15           and
 
16      (3)  The person has continued to reside in the foster home
 
17           wherein the person reached the age of majority, or has
 
18           continued to be accepted as a member of the foster
 
19           family and be under the guidance and support of the
 

 
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 1           foster family.
 
 2      (b)  Reimbursement to foster parents for the former foster
 
 3 child's maintenance cost up to the maximum allowable board amount
 
 4 shall be made retroactive to the person's entry into an
 
 5 accredited institution of higher learning on a full-time basis,
 
 6 but no earlier than July 1, 1987, or on a part-time basis for the
 
 7 first academic year, but no earlier than July 1, 1999.
 
 8      (c)  Foster board allowances may be applied to costs
 
 9 incurred in undertaking full-time studies or part-time studies
 
10 for the first academic year, if approved by the director upon
 
11 such terms and conditions as the director deems appropriate, at
 
12 an institution of higher learning.
 
13      (d)  The department's standards relating to income resources
 
14 of the foster child shall be applicable to this section.
 
15      (e)  For the purposes of this section, the term "eligible
 
16 foster child" means a child who has been placed into foster care
 
17 by the family court pursuant to chapter 587."
 
18      SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
19      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
20 
 
21                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________
 

 
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