Bill Text: HI HB600 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Department of Human Services Assistance; Fraud Reward Program

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [HB600 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB600-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  136

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 600

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 600 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to reduce fraud committed in connection with the receipt of public assistance benefits from the Department of Human Services:

 

     More specifically, the measure:

 

(1)  Establishes a program to reward individuals who report persons who have committed fraud in obtaining assistance from certain Department of Human Services programs;

 

(2)  Increases the penalties for committing fraud while receiving public assistance; and

 

(3)  Appropriates funds for the reward program.

 

     Under present law, there is no program to encourage individuals to report fraudulent acts committed by persons receiving assistance from the Department of Human Services.  This bill establishes a program to issue monetary awards when a person is convicted and ordered to make restitution to the State.

 

     Current law also provides that an individual who wilfully fails to report a reduced need for public assistance is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.  This bill increases the penalty by making that conduct a misdemeanor, provided that a recipient who fraudulently obtains more than $300 in public assistance is guilty of a class C felony, and a recipient who fraudulently obtains more than $20,000 is guilty of a class B felony.

 

     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. 600 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair