HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

916

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to social services.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State provides a personal needs allowance for individuals residing in adult foster homes, adult residential care homes, domiciliary homes, and other long-term care facilities.  The personal needs allowance allows recipients to purchase necessary items such as clothing, toiletries, and meals and covers other day-to-day living expenses.  The legislature further finds that when the federal government first established the needs allowance in 1974, the allowance was set at $25 per month, which was then subsequently increased to $30 in 1998.  In 2007, the legislature enacted Act 96, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, which increased the monthly needs allowance to $50 to better accommodate the increase in the cost of living.  However, the allowance has not been increased since then.  The legislature believes that the personal needs allowance must be increased in order to effectively support individuals residing in long-term care facilities.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to increase the personal needs allowance from $50 to $75.

     SECTION 2.  Section 346D-4.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§346D-4.5  Needs allowance; waiver program individuals.  (a)  There may be established a monthly needs allowance for individuals living in:

     (1)  Adult residential care home type I and type II facilities;

     (2)  Licensed developmental disabilities domiciliary homes as defined in section 321-15.9;

     (3)  Community care foster family homes as defined in section 321-481;

     (4)  Certified adult foster homes as defined in section 321-11.2;

     (5)  Domiciliary care as defined in section 346-1;

     (6)  A nursing facility as defined in section 346E-1; or

     (7)  A community-based residence as part of the residential alternatives community care program.

     (b)  The needs allowance may be administered by the department of human services to pay for clothing and other personal miscellaneous needs, such as bus fare, personal postage costs, haircuts, and other costs of day-to-day living.

     (c)  The State's supplemental payment for a needs allowance under subsection (a) shall be increased by an amount necessary to bring the allowance up to [$50] $75 per month.  The payment under this section shall be afforded to an individual notwithstanding that the individual is incapacitated; provided that the moneys may be spent on behalf of the client, with a written accounting, by the operator of the residence or facility.

     (d)  The needs allowance is not intended to replace or affect the funds received from the federal supplemental security income program and shall be supplemental to any funds provided to a recipient by the federal supplemental security income program.

     (e)  The operators of facilities listed under subsection (a) shall pay for generic toiletries, including toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels; linens, including bedding, sheets, blankets, towels, and bath towels; and meals and snacks for outings.

     (f)  The needs allowance shall apply to persons otherwise eligible to receive monthly income pursuant to state law or rules and federal laws or regulations and is not intended to affect the classifications of, or number of, persons eligible to receive such funds.

     (g)  The department of human services shall perform an annual review of the monthly needs allowance to ensure the allowance provides adequate coverage.  The department of human services shall submit a report of corrections or improvements to the monthly needs allowance, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2024, and every session thereafter."

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to provide a monthly needs allowance to individuals eligible pursuant to section 346D-4.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

 

 

Report Title:

Needs Allowance; Long-term Care Facilities; Appropriation

 

Description:

Increases the monthly needs allowance from $50 to $75.  Clarifies that the needs allowance is not intended to replace or affect funds received from the federal supplemental security income program.  Requires certain long-term care facility operators to pay for generic toiletries, linens, and meals and snacks.  Requires the department of human services to perform an annual review of the needs allowance.  Appropriate funds.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.