STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BENEFIT, EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION

Pursuant to sections 91-3 and 92-41, Hawaii Revised Statutes, this notice is hereby given that the Department of Human Services will hold a virtual public hearing to consider the proposed amendments to and compilation of chapter 17-678, “Financial Assistance Standards for Individuals in Independent Living Arrangements, Residential Treatment Facilities, or Domiciliary Care Homes,” Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), for the Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division, in accordance with federal regulations and state statutes. Brief descriptions of the proposed amendments to chapter 17-678, HAR, are listed below.

1. §17-678-2, Definitions. Technical amendment to correct the terminology “Bedholding”, by replacing it with “Bed holding”. In the definition of “Long- term care facility,” the terminology “intellectually disabled” replaces “mentally retarded”.

2. §17-678-3.01, Monthly assistance allowance for TANF individuals. Substantive amendment to shorten the title of this section and subsection (b) to align with the title. Also, a substantive amendment in subsection (b) to increase the monthly assistance allowance for TANF individuals from
forty-eight percent to sixty-two percent.

3. §17-678-8, Utilities deposit. Technical and substantive amendment to subsection (a), clarifying that the “one-time utility deposit” pertains to the lifetime of the household.

4. §17-678-9, Repair or replacement of household appliance. Technical amendment to subsection (e), to add a dash between the words “twelve” and “month”.

5. §17-678-10, Allowance for general assistance recipients assigned to temporary labor force (TLF). Technical amendments to delete the hyphenated words “essentials” in subsection (a) and “purchased” in subsection (b).

6. §17-678-12, Payment for special circumstance allowances. Technical amendment to correct the grammar of the first sentence.

7. §17-678-13, Payment for domiciliary care home changes. Technical amendment to subsection (a), to add a dash between the words “thirty” and “day”.

8. §17-678-14, Bed holding in domiciliary care homes. Technical amendment to subsections (a) to (c), to correct the terminology “bedholding” to “bed holding”; and to add a dash between the words “thirty” and “day” in subsections (c) and (d).

9. §17-678-18.1, Nature of benefit change action. Technical amendment to subsection (a) to add a dash between the words “under” and “expenditure”.

Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 9:00 AM.

There are two ways to participate in the public hearing—virtually via the internet or telephone, or by written testimony. All interested persons are invited to attend the virtual public hearing and present relevant information to state their views relative to the proposed rules either verbally or in writing for the department to consider.

Virtual via Internet or Telephone: Persons may present live video testimony via the internet or verbal testimony via telephone, during the virtual public hearing.
To virtually participate in the hearing, a computer with internet access, video camera and a microphone, or a telephone, is required. To attend, please email
your request, at least 48 hours prior to the hearing date above, to BESSD.TANFPO@dhs.hawaii.gov, to receive the weblink to attend the virtual public hearing via Microsoft Teams. In your email request, please include your email address, full name, and telephone number. A confirmation will be sent to you with instructions, a link to join the virtual public hearing, and a call-in telephone number.

Written Testimony: Should written testimony be presented, one (1) copy shall be made available to the presiding officer within seven (7) days before the virtual public hearing to:

A copy of the proposed rules will be available via the Department of Human Services website at https://humanservices.hawaii.gov/admin-rules-2/proposed-rules/ or by calling (808) 586-0975 during regular business days and hours, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM, to request a copy at NO COST to any interested person, or by writing to:

RYAN YAMANE
DIRECTOR
(SA1464401 8/14/24)