STAND. COM. REP. NO. 425

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 843
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.B. No. 843 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE
     REHABILITATION OF MEMBERS OF YOUTH GANGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation for
the rehabilitation of members of youth gangs.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Human Services, the Adult Friends for
Youth representatives from five high schools on Oahu, and three
individuals associated with it.

     The prevailing view of youth gangs is that they are a menace
to society, whether they are making graffiti, committing thefts,
using and selling drugs, possessing weapons, or engaging in
violent conduct.  Most of these acts are criminal and the
juveniles are considered to be law violators by the family
courts.  Gang members appear to be aware that their lives are
precarious, while they hope for something better they are still
uncertain about what to do to improve their lives.  The
legislature finds that there are private programs that can help
gang members to turn their lives around for the better.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting a reference to the Adult Friends for Youth;

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 425
                                   Page 2


     (2)  Deleting a paragraph relating to the National Resource
          Center for Youth Services;

     (3)  Deleting a paragraph stating that the State has no
          rehabilitation plan or program;

     (4)  Clarifying that the funds are to be used by the Office
          of Youth Services to partner with nonprofit, youth
          service organizations; and

     (5)  Changing the appropriation to be allocated over the
          next two fiscal years at $500,000 a year.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 843, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 843,
S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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