HI HB1218

Establishes a return-to-home program within the Department of Human Services to provide travel expenses and relocation assistance for homeless individuals who wish to return to their home states

Eligibility requires voluntary participation, legal residence in another state, no permanent Hawaii address, unemployment, lack of financial means to return home, and reliance on or risk of reliance on state assistance programs

Excludes from eligibility persons with dependent children residing in Hawaii or those receiving ongoing medical treatment that cannot be interrupted

Requires the department to contract with nonprofit or for-profit organizations to administer the program, coordinate with federal programs like the U.S. Repatriation Program, and protect vulnerable populations including domestic violence and human trafficking victims from involuntary displacement

Mandates a public information campaign about Hawaii's residency requirements and the return-to-home program, with annual reports to the legislature on program participation, costs, and outcomes

Appropriates unspecified general fund amounts for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, with an effective date of July 1, 2025