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HRS §346-57

Loans for people waiting on federal SSI benefits

The state can give interest-free loans to people who qualify for public assistance and are waiting for a decision on their federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application, but only if the federal agency denied their request for an advance or presumptive eligibility. The loan must be repaid from any retroactive SSI payments, but if the SSI application is denied, the loan is forgiven. The loan cannot be more than the state assistance the person would otherwise get.

borrowers

The statute, as written — Loans to applicants for federal supplemental security income

Notwithstanding any laws to the contrary, the department of human services may, out of its operating funds, make loans to any person eligible for public assistance as provided in this chapter who is an applicant for benefits under the federal supplemental security income program or its successor agency subject to the following conditions: (1) The Federal Bureau of Supplemental Security Income has denied applicant's request for advance payment or finding of presumptive eligibility for supplemental security income; (2) The loan or loans shall be for a period not to exceed the action of the Federal Bureau of Supplemental Security Income approving or disapproving assistance under its program; (3) The loan or loans shall bear no interest; (4) The loan or loans shall not exceed the amount of assistance otherwise available to the applicant under this chapter; (5) The loan or loans shall be repaid by the applicant out of the retroactive supplemental security income payments, provided that nothing herein shall restrict the federal government from making direct payments to the State for such loan or loans, and provided further that the loan or loans shall be discharged and no repayment shall be required from an applicant whose application for federal supplemental security income assistance has been disapproved; (6) The applicant shall not be eligible for financial assistance by the department, provided that the applicant shall become eligible for such assistance upon disapproval of the application for federal supplemental security income assistance.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.