STAND. COM. REP. NO. 426

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 896

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 896 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOMELESS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a homeless job training program to be managed by the Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Partners in Development Foundation, St. Stephen's Diocesan Center of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, and two individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that employment assistance is often listed as one of the top needs of homeless individuals and families.  Your Committees further find that the program in this measure will provide tools and experience to help homeless individuals help themselves.

 

     Your Committees also find that homeless provider agencies can access job readiness and other employment programs through the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.  The Office of Community Services, an agency administratively attached to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, is one of the agencies that provide job training to several different demographics in Hawaii.  Accordingly, your Committees find that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations should work in cooperation with the Department of Human Services to carry out the purpose and intent of this measure.

 

     Your Committees note that the Employment and Training Fund established pursuant to section 383-128, Hawaii Revised Statutes, should be considered in addition to General Fund monies as a source of funds for employment and training purposes.  Your Committees believe this issue merits further discussion by the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by adding the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations as an entity who shall work with the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a homeless job training program.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 896, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 896, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Judiciary and Labor,

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair