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Committee delays vote on bill to give cash to pregnant people and new mothers
Summary
Lawmakers heard extensive testimony supporting a Hawaii Rx Kids pilot to provide a prenatal payment and monthly cash to families with infants, but deferred action after the Department of Human Services flagged funding and eligibility constraints tied to TANF rules.
The House Committee on Human Services on Feb. 12 heard emotional and evidence‑based testimony on HB 2006, a proposal to establish the "Hawaii Rx Kids" program that would provide a one‑time prenatal payment and ongoing monthly cash to pregnant people and parents of infants.
DHS representative Catherine Scardino, speaking for Director Yamani, told the committee DHS "provides a TANF financial assistance program" and explained eligibility rules including residency, Social Security numbers and cooperation with child‑support enforcement. She also noted the state recently increased benefit levels to 62% of the 2006 federal poverty level but said she did not have the exact dollar amount on hand. Scardino urged care in designing the program so it would not jeopardize recipients’ eligibility for other benefits.
Public‑health and advocacy witnesses urged the committee to move the bill forward. Chris Kaufman of the Hawaii Public Health Institute said, "Poverty is a matter of public health," and cited Michigan’s RxKids evaluation — which the witness said was linked to reductions in preterm birth and low birthweight and to health‑care savings — as a model for benefits tied to early pregnancy and infancy. Nicole Wu of Hawaii Children’s Action Network noted Hawaii’s unusually large TANF reserves (more than four times the annual block grant) and suggested there may be flexibility to pilot spending those funds.
Personal testimony underscored lived need. Holly Jim Martinez, a member of the Oahu Youth Action Board, recounted being denied SNAP during pregnancy, fainting at four months and once being unable to afford a $50 medication; she said direct assistance "would help mothers meet their basic needs, reduce stress, and support healthier pregnancies."
Committee members pressed DHS on procurement pathways and program design, asking whether funds should flow via grant‑in‑aid or a procurement process and how to set performance metrics and staffing levels for a pilot. DHS said procurement can take up to a year and recommended grant‑in‑aid under chapter 92F for contracting with community organizations. Lawmakers expressed support for the bill’s intent but deferred action to allow staff and the bill’s sponsor time to work through funding, eligibility and implementation language.
The committee did not vote on HB 2006; the chair deferred decision making to allow additional work on funding sources and statutory constraints tied to TANF.
