Bill Text: HI HCR65 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Compact of Free Association Nations Migrants; Urge Increased Federal Aid

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-03-24 - (H) Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on TCI with none voting no and Belatti, Berg, Chang, Mizuno, M. Oshiro, Shimabukuro, Thielen excused. [HCR65 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HCR65-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  953-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   H.C.R. No. 65

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 65 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION STRONGLY URGING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL AID TO THE STATE OF HAWAII FOR THE PROVISION OF VARIOUS STATE SERVICES TO MIGRANTS FROM THE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION NATIONS; DEEM MIGRANTS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FEDERALLY FUNDED FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE; AND PROVIDE DIALYSIS AND CHEMOTHERAPY CENTERS IN MICRONESIA AND ALL AREAS WITHIN THE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION NATIONS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to:

 

          (1)  urge the U.S. Department of the Interior and the                    U.S. Congress to provide additional federal aid to             the State of Hawaii for the provision of various                   state services to migrants from the Compact of Free            Association (COFA) Nations; and

 

          (2)  deem migrants eligible to receive federally funded             financial and medical assistance; and

 

          (3)  provide dialysis and chemotherapy centers in                   Micronesia and all areas within the Compact of Free            Association (COFA) Nations.

 

     The Hawaii Disability Rights Center and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committees notes that the costs associated with providing various state services to the Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants continues to increase each year.  It is also noted that although the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996 prevents needy persons from the COFA nations from receiving federally funded financial and medical assistance, the State of Hawaii continues to provide equivalent services for the COFA migrants using state funds.

 

     It seems unfair to your Committees that, because of the unique federally created relationship our nation has with the COFA nations, the State of Hawaii continues to provide state services without additional federal support.

 

     Therefore, your Committees firmly believe in seeking federal aid for the provision of various state services to migrants from the Compact of Free Association nations.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 65 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Tourism, Culture, & International Affairs.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health,

 

 

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair		____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair