STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1762-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2055

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2055, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY COURT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to further protect children involved in Family Court proceedings by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) to establish policies and procedures for child custody evaluators and administer certification procedures;

 

     (2)  Establishing licensing requirements and minimal education and experience requirements, and requiring continuing training for child custody evaluators; and

 

     (3)  Requiring DCCA to establish minimum annual continuing training requirements for child custody evaluators, and establish policies for the use of eligible training providers.

 

     The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Action Center, Oahu VOICES, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of DCCA opposed this measure.  The Judiciary and a concerned individual offered comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Including registered nurses among those who may be child custody evaluators, if they meet licensing criteria and are in good standing;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2055, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2055, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair