CUTS TO SERVICES
We
are heading into the final month of the Legislative Session, and much
remains
to be done. PHOCUSED continues to oppose the cuts being proposed to the
Health
and Human Services Programs. The budget
bills being offered from both Houses are very different. There
have been many confusing and
contradictory statements made between the Administration and the
Legislature. Our hope is to not get
stuck in the political war of words and to instead rise above it all and
to
"phocus" on the issue of protecting the most vulnerable in our society.
This
report, thanks in large part to the work of Debbie Shimizu of NASW, has
been
prepared for you in as factual and detailed a manner as possible.
Please continue to inform us of the cuts to
your programs. We need the data going
into these final weeks.
April
1st was the deadline to deck bills for second crossover (ie, when
House bills that were heard in the Senate are returned to the House and
the
Senate bills heard in the House are returned to the Senate). The
main bill PHOCUSED is concerned about is
the budget bill, HB 2200. The Governor
sent her Executive budget to the Legislature in December 2009. House
then made
amendments (HD1) by:
-
Reducing
TANF expenditures in TANF programs,
support services, administration , out of wedlock pregnancies, UPLINK,
enhanced
healthy start, POS contracts for CPS, SSBG, and non-IV-E foster children
in
2010-11
- Increasing
TANF cash assistance, work program contracts and after school hour
programs in
2010-11
- Cutting
partnerships in community living programs, healthy start and chronic
disease
management in DOH
- Making various cuts to POS contracts in DHS
($4
million)
The
House Finance committee notes in their committee report that DHS
financial plan
for TANF relies on federal DRA and ARRA monies through FY 2014 when
those
monies are scheduled to end in 2011. Additionally, the DHS TANF
financial plan
does not project expenditures in Uplink, Child Welfare POS contracts,
OYS,
Enhanced and Healthy Start and Non-IVE emergency assistance beginning FY
2011.
Link
to the DHS TANF financial plan:
http://hawaii.gov/dhs/main/reports/LegislativeReports/2010Leg/2009%20Act%20162%20Part%207%20Section%20156%20TANF%20Financial%20Plan%20Final.pdf
The
House Finance committee also notes regarding the new TANF Emergency fund
available to states, DHS has already received $25 million or
approximately 50%
of the ARRA funds it is eligible for. The House also kept alive SB 2469
SD2,
HD2 relating to the emergency and budget reserve fund (aka rainy day
bill).
The
Senate then took the HB 2200 HD1 and made just a few amendments (SD1) to
the
House version of the budget by:
·
restoring
$260,000 in 2010-11 for TANF programs
·
adding
$19.8 M for child care development fund
·
creating
a task force to report on the DHS reorganization plan to eliminate 31
eligibility offices and 232 positions and restricted funding for the
reorganization until 20 days prior to the 2011 legislative session
·
amending
HB 2542 HD1, SD1 to allow transfer of excess funds in the Hawaii tobacco
prevention and control trust fund to the emergency and budget reserve
fund (aka
rainy day fund)
Here
are links to the different versions of the budget bill:
HB
2200 HD1-
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2010/Bills/HB2200_HD1_.pdf
Go to
Pages 57-62 for cuts to DOS and DHS (POS contracts)
Go to
pages 288-295 for TANF cuts
Go
Finance Committee report HD1 for an explanation of the cuts made in the
House
Finance committee:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2010/CommReports/HB2200_HD1_HSCR682-10_.pdf
HB
2200 HD1, SD1
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2010/Bills/HB2200_SD1_.pdf
Go to
pages 58-64 for cuts to DOH
Go to
pages 320-322 for TANF cuts
Got
to Ways and Means Committee report SD1 for an explanation of the cuts
made in
Ways and Means committee:
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2010/CommReports/HB2200_SD1_SSCR2970_.pdf
Where
do we go from here?
The
budget bill will now go to Conference Committee to review the
differences
between the House and Senate versions. These
hearings are usually held during the evenings and may be very short or
go into
the wee hours of the night. PHOCUSED would like to have a presence at
these
budget meetings, so please watch for our emails to alert you when budget
conference meetings will begin. We want
as many green shirts in the room as possible.
If
you have not completed the budget reduction impact data chart, please do
so
immediately so we will have the data to pass on to the Conference
Committee. (Please see the attached
chart)
PHOCUSED
will continue to advocate for increased revenue through special funds,
increased taxes and using the rainy day fund rather than accepting
additional
budget cuts.
If
you have any questions please feel free to send us a message or call the
office
at 521-7462.
Staying PHOCUSED
