STAND. COM. REP. NO. 950-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2849
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2849 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REVIEW HEARINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to clearly define when the
Department of Human Services (DHS) will begin to calculate the
period that a child has been in out-of-home placement.

     DHS testified in support of this measure.

     The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 requires the
states to have legislation to initiate or join proceedings within
a specified time to terminate parental rights for children under
DHS' custody.  This measure would result in more consistent
application of the federal time requirements.

     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 S.B. No. 2849 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.


 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 950-00
                                 Page 2

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair