HI HB1987

Establishes the Hawaii Senior Benefits Payment Program within the Executive Office on Aging to provide monthly cash assistance to qualifying senior citizens for living expenses.

Eligible individuals must be age 65 or older, Hawaii residents, U.S. citizens or qualified aliens, with household income not exceeding 175% of the federal poverty line, and must complete an application.

Monthly cash assistance payments begin August 1, 2020, with benefit amounts varying by income level: higher payments for those at or below 75% of federal poverty line, lower payments for those between 75-100%, and lowest payments for those between 100-175% of the poverty line.

Program suspends benefits for recipients absent from Hawaii for more than 30 consecutive days, with exceptions for medical treatment, accompanying family members receiving medical care, or trips under 30 days with potential extensions from the Executive Office on Aging.

Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal year 2020-2021 (specific amount not filled in bill text) and authorizes recovery of improperly paid benefits plus investigation, prosecution, and attorney fees costs from individuals who provided inaccurate information.