Emergency funding
likely for emotionally
disturbed children

Legislature week in review
Capitol Calendar

By Craig Gima
Star-Bulletin

The state Senate is poised to pass on Monday a $42.5 million emergency appropriation so a court-mandated program that provides services to emotionally disturbed children won't go broke.

The measure is expected to pass the House later in the week and be signed by Gov. Ben Cayetano, who then can release the money.

The state's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division has already run out of money to pay for services, but the state Health Department is borrowing from payroll and other funds to cover the shortfall until the emergency appropriation passes.

The department originally had estimated it would cost about $60 million this year to pay for its share of costs related to the Felix consent decree. The additional money raises the department's spending to comply with the decree to about $102 million for the fiscal year ending June 30.

The reason for the unanticipated increase is that the state provides Felix services to about 9,000 children, but had originally estimated spending money for about 7,300 children this year, said Health Director Bruce Anderson.

Lawmakers questioned whether the spending could be brought under control and if the state is adequately monitoring private service providers.

Last year, the Health Department requested an emergency appropriation of $9.7 million to cover shortfalls, and in 1997, the Legislature was asked to fund a $9.2 million shortfall.

Anderson earlier this week told the Senate Ways and Means Committee that he expects the number of children covered by the Felix decree to stabilize at 9,406 next year. The budget for Felix services next year is $85.6 million, and the department anticipates $93.8 million the following year.

Anderson said his department is working with the state Department of Education to set up school-based programs that should be more cost-effective than private providers.

Sen. Jonathan Chun (D, Lihue) questioned Health Department special assistant Anita Swanson about a state auditor's report that criticized management of private providers by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division.

"We need to bring some accountability to the process," he said. "I want to see whether it (state money) is spent wisely."

Swanson said new contracts for services that will be signed July 1 have quality-control provisions recommended by the auditor.

---

WEEK IN REVIEW

Education funding the
week’s big issue in
state Legislature

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

DEBATE on educational issues this week echoed throughout the state Capitol.

On Tuesday, Health Department officials warned the Senate money committee that educational funding for about 9,000 special-needs children would run out unless they approved $42.5 million in emergency funding, which the committee did yesterday.

On Wednesday, the House Higher Education Committee approved a bill that appropriates funds to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to offset the cost of waiving tuition for Hawaiian students attending the University of Hawaii system.

And on Thursday, several hundred students who attend state adult education programs rallied in the Capitol courtyard to protest a Senate bill that cuts program funding and raises adult student fees. The bill remains alive but is pending a committee hearing.

Other key action this week:

ELECTION ACCURACY

A recount of the 1996 state general election, prompted by a legislative resolution, confirms the accuracy of the new election balloting system, vindicating chief elections officer Dwayne Yoshina.

FAILED COUP

Five freshmen state senators, troubled by Budget Committee snafus that left many bills already approved in legislative limbo during the recent first crossover deadline, pushed Senate President Norman Mizuguchi (D, Aiea) for changes. Despite support from Senate majority dissidents, the group failed to oust certain committee chairmen.

FUNDING ADVANCES

Bills that fund homeless programs, provide income tax reductions for long-term care insurance premiums and fund negotiated pay raises for government workers in certain collective-bargaining units move forward.

Lawmakers this week deferred decision-making on measures that create another exception to close public meetings, ban butterfly knives, build a privately developed prison on the Big Island and approve an exchange of public and private lands to build a motor speedway.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Senate Ways and Means Co-Chairwoman Carol Fukunaga (D, Ala Moana), on why a bill to cut funding for adult education programs and increase fees for adult education resurfaced this year after it was defeated last year:

"We're still looking for money."

COMING UP NEXT WEEK

All bills that remain alive must be sent to their final committee by Thursday, the second lateral deadline. The Legislature on Monday begins its 35th working day of a 60-day session that ends on May 4.

Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes
Legislature Bills