CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO.67

                            Honolulu, Hawaii
                                            , 2000

                            RE:   S.B. No. 2850
                                  S.D. 1
                                  H.D. 2
                                  C.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the
Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives
in S.B. No. 2850, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:  

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KINSHIP CARE," 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to
recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final
passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to allow the Department of
Human Services (DHS) to adopt rules relating to kinship care,
including criminal background checks and fingerprints.

     This measure is intended to address a common situation in
Hawaii where a child could live with a grandparent, or aunt or
uncle, rather than with the child's parent or guardian.
According to the DHS, this measure compliments and enhances the
current regulatory framework regarding foster care, which is very
similar to kinship care.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 
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     (1)  Requiring the adoption of standards relating to kinship
          boarding homes;

     (2)  Clarifying that the sworn statement indicate whether or
          not the person has ever been convicted of an offense
          for which incarceration is a sentencing option, and
          making the same clarification of the grounds for
          refusal by the DHS;

     (3)  Requiring that a refusal by the DHS may occur only
          after investigation, notification, and opportunity to
          meet and rebut the finding;

     (4)  Defining "criminal history record check";

     (5)  Defining "kinship boarding home" to include placement
          with the child's consanguineous father, mother,
          grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or first
          cousin; and

     (6)  Rearranging and recasting the material in the new
          section.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your
Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your
Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2850, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and
recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto
as S.B. No. 2850, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.


 
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                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the managers:

  ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE           ON THE PART OF THE SENATE



_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. DENNIS A. ARAKAKI            Sen. SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair



_____________________________     _______________________________
Rep. SCOTT K. SAIKI               Sen. AVERY CHUMBLEY
Co-Chair                          Co-Chair



_____________________________     
Rep. MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA
Co-Chair

 
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