[PART V.] 
PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT



 



§346-101  Findings and purpose.  The
legislature finds that:



(1)  The magnitude of Hawaii's welfare situation,
either in terms of people or in terms of dollar costs, is staggering;



(2)  The present welfare environment can be attributed
to many variables such as, the change in society's attitude toward welfare,
poverty, and public assistance to a greater acceptance and assuming of greater
responsibility and the ever-increasing rate in the population of the State;



(3)  While the State must do what it can, viable
solutions to the State's welfare crisis must be found;



(4)  In view of the aforementioned factors, perhaps
one solution lies in the establishment of a public service employment program;



(5)  There is a supply of unemployed or underemployed
persons receiving general assistance payments from the State who are available
for public service employment;



(6)  There also exists a substantial number of unmet
public needs, including environmental concerns such as, development,
landscaping and beautification of highways, parks, hiking trails, botanical
gardens, beaches and restoration of historic sites; and



(7)  A meaningful program of public service employment
could serve persons receiving general assistance payments as well as the
residential population of the State and at the same time alleviate some of the
burden on the present welfare rolls.



The purpose of this part is to establish public
service employment to assist in alleviating the unemployment of general
assistance recipients as well as meeting some of the urgent public service
needs that exist by having these individuals perform meaningful and productive
services of the State which cannot otherwise be met.  Public service employment
will also assist the department of human services in determining whether a
general assistance recipient should be eligible for public assistance for
refusal to participate without a justifiable reason. [L 1973, c 177, pt of §2;
am L 1987, c 339, §4]