STAND. COM. REP. NO. 773

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1117
                                     H.D. 3




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
1117, H.D. 2, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CHILD PROTECTIVE ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to expedite permanency for
children in child care by bringing the State into compliance with
the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.

     Among other things, this bill:

     (1)  Adds abandonment of an infant, and the torture of a
          child to the list of "aggravated circumstances" under
          which the Department of Human Services (DHS) is not
          required to make a reasonable effort to reunite a child
          with the family;

     (2)  Allows service of summons to be made by registered or
          certified mail if the party resides out of state;

     (3)  Requires the family court to set the case for a show
          cause hearing within thirty days if the court
          determines that aggravated circumstances are present;
          and

     (4)  Places the burden of presenting evidence on the child's
          family in a show cause hearing why the case should not
          be set for a permanent plan hearing.

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 773
                                 Page 2

 
     DHS testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has made technical, nonsubstantive amendments
to the bill to conform to correct drafting style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
1117, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1117, H.D.
3.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair