Bill Text: HI SB2265 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Legislative Reference Bureau; Department of Health and Human Services; Layoffs
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-03 - (S) The committee on HTH deferred the measure. [SB2265 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2265-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2265 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. In August and September 2009, senate informational briefings were held to gather information on the potential statewide impacts of the anticipated reduction in services for the department of health and human services resulting from the governor's plan to impose layoffs and furloughs on state employees in response to the state revenue shortfall.
The State of Hawaii, like most other states, is facing a dire economic situation requiring government entities to make deep cuts to program budgets across the board. The departments of health and human services are faced with numerous cuts to virtually all divisions and programs within the departments. At the informational briefings in September of 2009, testimony was heard regarding the proposed cuts and the impact that they will have on individual agencies. Testimony in opposition to the reduction in force of the Hawaii housing authority's homeless program's branch indicated that the cuts would eliminate five of the nine staff positions and would put Hawaii's receipt of $16,650,000 in federal Department of Housing and Urban Development moneys in jeopardy. The testimony also indicated that the number of homeless people in the years 1997 to 2009 had at least doubled, and the needs and numbers of the homeless will grow when economic times are hard.
Testimony was abundant regarding the cuts to the deaf services section of the department of human services as those who are hearing impaired fear not being able to get help when they need it and losing their vocational training which is highly specific and specialized. The entire deaf community will be affected by the loss of staff members that work with them.
The Hawaii Government Employees Association suggested that instead of laying off twelve hundred employees, the administration should rely upon attrition and retirement incentives that other states have successfully used. It would be bad public policy to layoff so many workers and the important services performed through the departments of health and human services would suffer, and therefore the consumers that use those services would suffer.
Hawaii's receipt of a federal grant from the Environmental Protection Agency through the Clean Water Act would be in jeopardy due to the budget cuts. This grant provides Hawaii $323,000 to monitor water quality and bacteria levels in water and no state matching funds are required. Since 2003, Hawaii has received from the Environmental Protection Agency $2,259,327 in federal grant money, and other Environmental Protection Agency projects that would be in jeopardy by budget cuts would cause Hawaii to lose another $180,000.
Youth services would also be cut in several areas, and there was testimony that this would increase gang violence, increase youth in detention facilities, and take away services for abused and homeless children.
In addition to senate informational hearings, local media has been reporting on the impact of budget cuts and layoffs for months. In January 2009, Hawaii News Now reported on a group geared towards protecting the underserved in Hawaii, stating that the budget cuts affect people with mental illness and disabilities, those who need help the most. In July 2009, Honolulu Star Bulletin reported about cuts to services for children in Hawaii, noting that the Healthy Start child abuse prevention program was allotted $10 million dollars in the 2008-2009 budget and was dropped completely from the 2009-2010 budget. Advocates say that this not only affects the children "here and now; it's a whole generation." News Leader.com, an affiliate of the Associated Press, reported in December 2009 that Hawaii stands out in how its government shrinkage has ripped into what are generally considered to be core functions: education, public health, elections, and services for the disadvantaged. Widespread media reports indicate there is a genuine concern regarding the ramifications of the deep cuts to programs that are part of the departments of health and human services.
The purpose of this Act is to direct the legislative reference bureau to analyze and report on the economic impacts on agencies, individuals, and communities as a result of the reduction in services for the departments of health and human services.
SECTION 2. (a) The legislative reference bureau shall analyze the economic impacts on affected groups and communities, as a result of the reduction in services for the departments of health and human services throughout the State, including:
(1) The number and types of elderly, disabled, youth, and disadvantaged persons and services directly affected by the layoffs and cuts in services;
(2) The estimated annual dollar value of the loss to the State and other entities;
(3) The estimated dollar value of the impact on other agencies and entities that provide services;
(4) Other economic impacts, such as higher unemployment and reduced levels of services;
(5) The adequacy of the workforce prior to the current reductions;
(6) The monetary impact caused by the loss of federal funding through grants and other sources;
(7) Layoffs of staff servicing socially disadvantaged groups and how their families and communities are affected; and
(8) Other financial impacts, particularly on communities and consumers that previously relied on these services.
(b) The legislative reference bureau shall consult with, at minimum, the department of health, the department of human services, the counties, and other government and private sector agencies as deemed appropriate by the legislative reference bureau, and legislators. The departments of health and human services and the University of Hawaii economic research organization shall be available to collaborate with the legislative reference bureau with regards to this directive and shall respond in a timely and appropriate manner to the bureau's requests for information.
(c) The legislative reference bureau shall submit a report of its findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2011.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Legislative Reference Bureau; Department of Health and Human Services; Layoffs
Description:
Directs the legislative reference bureau to analyze and report on the economic impacts on agencies, individuals and communities, as a result of the reduction in services for the department of health and human services statewide.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
