Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 161 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Director of Human Services to identify and describe existing protections for the rights of parents and families in all Child Welfare Services (CWS) activities and proceedings in a report to the Legislature.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) and Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii submitted comments on this measure.

DHS stated that it would willingly provide the Legislature an organized listing of state and federal statutes that identify the existing protections for the rights of parents and families in all CWS activities.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 161 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.