Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1858, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to divert some of the funds from the tobacco settlement from the emergency and budget reserve fund to the Department of Human Services for before-school, after-school, weekend, spring break, winter break, and intercession programs for children.

Your Committee finds that there is widespread agreement about the importance of a safe, structured environment for children and youth during non-school hours. Given the large number of working parents, this environment often cannot be supplied by the students' parents. Leaving children and youths on their own during the later afternoon and early evening hours leads to an increase in juvenile crime, drug use, tobacco use, and alcohol use. Your Committee also finds that creating a stable source of funding for programs to care for children and youth in these non-school hours will provide a crucial societal benefit.

Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the effective date to July 7, 2002 to ensure that the changes proposed by the bill will not be negated when Act 14, Third Special Session of Hawaii 2002, becomes effective on July 1.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1858, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1858, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.