Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1236 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Data and Research Office for Children and Families in the Center on the Family at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Your Committee heard testimony in support of the measure from the Special Assistant on Children and Families, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii, Hawaii Performance Partnerships Board, Hawaii Kids Count, Good Beginnings Alliance, and four private individuals.

Your Committee finds that this measure will improve the gathering, compilation, and analysis of data from public and private sources relating to Hawaii's children and families by centralizing the process and improving coordination among relevant agencies. This will foster the creation of an accurate and reliable statistical picture of the status of Hawaii's children and families that can be used by the public and private sectors as an empirical basis for initiatives designed to improve the lives of Hawaii's citizens. Your Committee estimates that the Data and Research Office for Children and Families will cost approximately $100,000 each fiscal year.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1236 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.