STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2217

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2328

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2328 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NOTICE TO FOSTER PARENTS FOR CHAPTER 587, HAWAII REVISED STATUTES, CHILD PROTECTIVE ACT HEARINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify that foster parents have the authority to attend and participate in chapter 587 proceedings subsequent to a disposition hearing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Human Services and the Hawaii Foster Parent Association.

Foster parents are allowed to attend and participate only in review hearings under chapter 587, unless they file a motion to intervene as parties. The family court has discretion whether or not to grant such motions. Your Committee finds that foster parents have an interest in participating in all chapter 587 proceedings occurring after the disposition hearing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2328, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2328, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair