STAND. COM. REP. NO. 948

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 1019

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1019 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to strengthen services available to vulnerable youth in the State who struggle with homelessness or commit status offenses.

 

Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes a safe places for youth pilot program;

 

(2)  Requires the Office of Youth Services to reduce the use of status offense laws and implement a status offense diversion program; and

 

(3)  Appropriates funds for the safe places for youth pilot program and the status offense diversion program.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Sex Abuse Treatment Center of the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, IMUAlliance, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and Hawaii Children's Action Network.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure establishes programs that will support the youth of Hawaii by providing safe places for homeless youth, diverting homeless and other youth from becoming involved in status offense-type conduct, and by reducing the incidence of status offenders from going into detention that may ultimately be detrimental to those youth.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the appropriation amounts to:

 

(A)  $70,000 for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum for fiscal year 2020-2021 for a safe places for youth pilot program coordinator and residential options for the pilot program; and

 

(B)  $130,000 for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the Office of Youth Services to implement a status offense diversion program;

 

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1019, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1019, S.D. 1.


 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair