STAND. COM. REP. NO. 655________

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 543
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred H.B. No. 543 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to extend foster board
allowances to persons up to twenty-one years of age for meals and
shelter.

     The Department of Human Services testified that it would
support the measure so long as it does not displace priorities in
the Executive Budget.

     Your Committee finds that many foster children face
difficulties when they age out of foster care and do not pursue
the higher education option.  By providing a foster board
allowance to persons who have reached the age of majority but is
less than 21 years of age, your Committee hopes that some of
these difficulties will be relieved.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Setting a benefit cap at the rate of fifty percent of
          foster board rates; 

     (2)  Providing that any allocation may be used for
          enrollment in a transitional program;


 
 
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                                 Page 2

 
     (3)  Setting a two-year cap on eligibility; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 543, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 543, H.D.
1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair