STAND. COM. REP. NO.843

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 959

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 959 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide for forensic medical examinations for children in foster custody placements.

The bill applies to children whom medical personnel reasonably believe to have been subjected to child abuse or neglect, and who are then taken into custody by the Department of Human Services. The bill also provides that all children entering foster care receive a pre-placement physical by the child's regular medical provider. If that provider or another provider is not available to do the examination, the child shall be referred to a medical facility for a forensic evaluation. The bill also appropriates $150,000 for fiscal year 2003-2004 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2004-2005 for forensic medical examinations of children in foster custody placements.

Your Committee finds that children who have been victims of abuse or neglect need documentation of their condition to ensure that appropriate care is provided to them. Mistreatment of these children also must be identified to protect the children from being placed back in the homes of those who have done them harm. The forensic and pre-placement examinations provided for in this bill will help keep these vulnerable children safe.

Your Committee has amended the bill by making the appropriations blank to foster continuing discussion, and by making a minor technical nonsubstantive change.

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 S.B. No. 959, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 959, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair