HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	573
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to federal funds.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the global respiratory disease pandemic named "coronavirus disease 2019", or COVID-19, has deeply impacted Hawaii's health and economy. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136, was enacted on March 27, 2020, to address the extensive economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the CARES Act provided $1,250,000,000 to Hawaii, of this amount, only the city and county of Honolulu received a direct allocation of $387,176,021 for certain specified expenditures.

The legislature further finds that our governmental structure is unique compared to other states. Programs such as public education, public safety correctional prisons and jails, and hospitals are funded by the State and not the counties. As a result, such program and service costs should be supplemented by any share of federal moneys designated for the counties. In addition, if a county requests services from the National Guard, a portion of those costs should also come out of any specific allocation to that county.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds received by the State from the          Act for the purpose of COVID-19 response and activities with funds for certain programs paid for from the county share.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the funds received by the State of Hawaii from the            Act, the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2021-2022 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022-2023 to be used for COVID-19 response conducted pursuant to Public Law      and associated guidance issued by appropriate federal agencies; provided that:

(1) The amounts appropriated for public education, jails, and hospitals shall be provided by the county direct allocation, if any; and

(2) County requests for service from the National Guard shall be provided by the county at twenty-five per cent of the costs.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the          for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Coronavirus Disease 2019; Counties; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates federal funds for COVID-19 response. Requires funding of certain programs to be paid for from the county share.

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