STAND. COM. REP. NO.546

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 967

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 967 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE FELIX CONSENT DECREE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to implement the recommendations of the State Auditor by establishing a working definition of the Felix class, adopting a best practices approach for designing and funding programs, and establishing a credible and independent capacity to evaluate services and programs provided to children in Hawaii.

Your Committees heard testimony in support of the measure from a private individual. Testimony in opposition to the measure was received from the Attorney General, Department of Education, and Hawaii Disability Rights Center. Comments were provided by the Department of Health.

Your Committees find that the measure could hinder efforts towards achieving compliance with the required benchmarks under the Felix Consent Decree. A change in the already developed system of evaluation could cause the departments to lose their momentum at a most critical time. However, the intention of this measure to clarify performance benchmarks and increase accountability is sound. Nevertheless, your Committees find that this objective would be better accomplished by funding a fiscal manager who would track compliance costs.

Your Committees have amended this measure by replacing its contents with the contents of S.B. No. 513, which would provide funding for a fiscal manager who could track compliance costs. This position may be filled by contract with a private accounting firm consisting of certified public accountants.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 967, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 967, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

____________________________

DAVID MATSUURA, Chair

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NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair