STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1911

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.R. No. 46

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.R. No. 46 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE INTERCEPTING SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Human Services to immediately cease intercepting Social Security payments for children in foster care and to deposit these Social Security payments into savings accounts that may be accessed by foster children when they return to their families, are adopted, or age out of foster care.

The Department of Human Services offered comments.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Human Services uses a foster child's Social Security payments to help pay for foster care expenses of the child. The Department indicated that general fund appropriations will be required to meet the expenses of the State's foster care program should the State forego using Social Security benefits to reimburse foster board costs. Your Committee supports continued efforts to examine these fiscal concerns as this measure moves through the legislative process.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 46 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair