STAND. COM. REP. NO.1542

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 87

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 87, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY SUPPORT CENTERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Family Center Project to coordinate the provision of core services to families at community-based centers to develop each community's capacity to identify and resolve its problems.

In addition, this measure:

(1) Makes the Family Center Project a five-year project of the Department of Human Services, which is to be responsible for the planning, implementation, and establishment of family support centers;

(2) Establishes the Family Center Council, the members of which are to be appointed by the Governor, for the purpose of planning and implementing the establishment and development of the Family Center Project;

(3) Requires each family center to be advised by a community liaison committee composed of community members;

(4) Requires each family center to offer an array of services tailored to the specific needs of its constituents and developed pursuant to family support principles;

(5) Requires the Department of Human Services to monitor and evaluate the Family Center Project, and to submit the Department's findings to the Legislature; and

(6) Appropriates an unspecified sum to the Department of Human Services for the establishment of a family center site, including staff.

Your Committee finds that the Family Center Project is being modeled after the family center "demonstration" project established under Act 329, Session Laws of Hawaii 1990, as amended by Act 188, Session Laws of Hawaii 1992, and Act 356, Session Laws of Hawaii 1993. This measure is intended to support new and existing family centers, and provide training and technical assistance to new family centers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the amount appropriated for the establishment of the family center site to $2.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 87, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 87, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair