STAND. COM. REP. NO. 576

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 785

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 785 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GRANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Human Services to appoint an existing employee to apply for and manage grants, request grant writing assistance from other state agencies, or contract or employ a dedicated capture manager for this purpose.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Primary Care Association. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that state agencies are best positioned to pursue and manage grants and other public and private funding opportunities when one individual has dedicated oversight responsibility. Your Committee notes that although staff in the office of the Director of Human Services research, apply for, and manage grants and grant-funded projects, grant opportunities are only pursued if there is available staff capacity. Grant management requires knowledge of internal state fiscal and federal grant processes, preparing budgets, establishing work plans and project team meetings, and preparing grant and legislative reports.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 785, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 785, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair