STAND. COM. REP. NO.  168-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 3129

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 3129 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES PROGRAMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that criminal history record checks are conducted more effectively on human service providers by authorizing a designee of the Department of Human Services (DHS) to assist with these checks.  Currently, only DHS personnel can conduct background checks.

 

     This bill also corrects omissions in the enabling law.

 

     DHS, Office of Youth Services, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs testified in support of this bill.  The Consumer Data Industry Association supported the intent of this measure.

 

     Currently, criminal history record checks rely only on State databases.  Expanding this database to include those available in the private sector can provide a more comprehensive check.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by allowing criminal history record checks through not only the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center but also through a consumer credit reporting agency or a consumer reporting agency.


 

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3129, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3129, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair