STAND. COM. REP. NO.1294

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.R. No. 12

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.R. No. 12 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING CONTINUED DISCUSSION FOR A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF CURRENT CHILD PROTECTION LAWS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to request:

(1) The Hawaii Appleseed Public Interest Law Foundation (Hawaii Appleseed) to continue discussion and seek input in its comprehensive assessment of reviewing and conforming current state child protection laws;

(2) The discussion drafts of the proposed new Child Protective Act (CPA) be used as a foundation for Hawaii Appleseed's efforts;

(3) Hawaii Appleseed and the Child Protection Legislative Roundtable (Roundtable) to organize a conference to create a final draft of the proposed CPA; and

(4) Hawaii Appleseed to submit a report to the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2002.

The Christian Science Committee on Publication for Hawaii testified in support of this measure. DHS supported the intent of this measure with amendments.

Your Committees find that the Roundtable has been instrumental in improving the Child Protective Services (CPS) system. However, certain issues still need to be examined, and further legislation may be required to make the CPS system more effective.

DHS recommended some amendments because the current Hawaii Appleseed draft does not meet the requirements of federal mandates, and could cost the State millions of dollars in federal funding. DHS further recommends a longer time frame to fulfill the requests of the resolution to provide the best results possible.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the request to use the Appleseed discussion drafts and instead request a comprehensive review of relevant Federal and State statutes to be used as the foundation for Hawaii Appleseed's efforts;

(2) Extending the deadline to submit a report to the Legislature to the Regular Session of 2003; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendment for purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 12, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 12, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Housing and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

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ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair

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MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair