STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
MAR 2 5 2024
RE: S.R. No. 153
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.R. No. 153 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND
FINANCE TO WORK WITH THE STATE COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES TO ENHANCE THE ABLE SAVINGS PROGRAM BY PROMOTING
IT TO ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY QUALIFY,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the
Department of Budget and Finance to work with the State Council on
Developmental Disabilities to enhance the Hawaii Achieving a
Better Life Experience (ABLE) Savings Program by promoting it to
all individuals who may qualify.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Executive
Office on Aging, and Hawaii Disability Rights Center.
Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Achieving a Better Life
Experience (ABLE) Savings Program provides individuals with
disabilities access to the same types of flexible savings accounts
that are available to individuals without disabilities, such as
college savings accounts, for which interest earned on savings is
tax-exempt. Furthermore, an ABLE account allows individuals with
a disability to accrue funds to pay for a variety of expenses,
such as medical and dental care, education, community-based
supports, employment training, assistive technology, housing, and
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transportation. Your Committee also finds that there are
approximately forty-three thousand individuals who are eligible
for the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program; however, many of them are
either unaware of the program or are reluctant to enroll due to
lack of information about the program. This measure will enable
the Hawaii ABLE Savings Program to engage in necessary outreach to
educate these individuals and create incentives for them to enroll
in the program, allowing them to engage in financial planning and
save money for their futures.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
No. 153 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on
Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Health and Human
Services,
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 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawai‘i
Record of Votes
Committee on Health and Human Services
HHS
Bill / Resolution No.;* Committee Referral: Date:
5« , vv/i H a5j22,/
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to: ______________________________________
The Re^mmendation is;
Pass, unamended Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
SAN BUENAVENTURA, Joy A. (C)
AQUINO. Henry J.C. (VC)
KEOHOKALOLE, Jarrett
SHIMABUKURO, Maile S.L
AWA, Brenton
TOTAL p---
Recommendation; .
[j^^f^dopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signaturg:------ —7
Distribution; Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/27/23