Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1105, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require courts to order the natural parents of the child to complete a medical information form pursuant to section 578-14.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes. The measure also provides that if the parents fail to comply with this order, the filing requirement of the medical information with the family court is waived.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that when parents are involved with child protective services and have had a child removed from their home and the plan is to terminate parental rights, it is difficult for the department to obtain medical information from the parents. Often, delays in the adoption process are due to a lack of medical information on the natural parents. This measure will mandate the parents to provide this information and yet allow adoptions to proceed without delay if the parents fail to provide the information.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1105, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.