STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1248

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1780

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1780, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE COMMISSION ON FATHERHOOD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to continue to support the role of fathers in raising children by:

(1) Extending the State Commission on Fatherhood (Commission) to June 30, 2007;

(2) Transferring the Commission from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to the Department of Human Services (DHS); and

(3) Appropriating funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to the Commission.

The Commission and Hawaii Coalition for Dads testified in support of this bill. DHS provided comments.

Your Committee recognizes the importance of the role fathers play in raising their children and in the health and well-being of the family as a whole. The Commission expressed that it only recently started to hold meetings because of delays caused by the commissioner nomination process and a lack of funding, and it is now focusing on carrying out its duties. DHS stated that they are in support of extending the sunset date of the Commission, but have concerns about the use of TANF funds for the purposes of the Commission.

Your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Finance to determine whether TANF funds can be used, and notes that the Commission is asking for only $50,000.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Appropriating funds from the general fund instead of the TANF program; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1780, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1780, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

 

____________________________

ALEX M. SONSON, Chair