STAND. COM. REP. NO.  590

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1406

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1406, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THE STATE HOMELESS PROGRAMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to streamline the delivery of key human service programs by merging the functions and duties of the Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (OCS) with those of the homeless programs branch of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA).  This bill reestablishes these programs as a new Office of Homeless and Community Services (OHCS) within the Department of Human Services (DHS).

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from OCS and the Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council.  DHS and HPHA supported the intent of this bill.  Catholic Charities Hawaii opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Making the establishment of the OHCS and the transfer of programs into the new office discretionary;

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2046, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1406, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1406, H.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Chair