Hawaii legislators to examine use of federal stimulus money for health and welfare programs

Hawaii lawmakers to examine use of stimulus money

HONOLULU — A joint panel of the Hawaii Legislature will examine the use of federal economic stimulus money in the state departments of health and human services.

The Federal Economic Stimulus Program Oversight Commission will meet on Tuesday at the state Capitol to hear an overview of the spending and to take public comment.

The commission is headed by Rep. Michael Magaoay, D-Schofield-Kahuku, and Sen. Shan Tsutsui, D-Wailuku-Kahului.

The stimulus money was part of hundreds of millions of dollars the federal government distributed to states earlier this year in an effort to moderate one of the worst recessions in decades.