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 S.B. No. 2150, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to review every report of suspected child abuse or neglect submitted to it to determine whether the case should be referred to a physician for a definitive medical opinion on whether child abuse or neglect has occurred.

Furthermore, this measure requires the Department to immediately refer the child for a medical opinion once the Department determines a referral should be made.

Your Committee finds that under present law health care providers, schools, child care providers, law enforcement agencies, medical examiners and coroners, and recreational and sports activities providers are required to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the Department or the police.

Your Committee further finds that the accurate diagnosis of child abuse relies on the joint work of both medical and social service specialists in the field of child abuse.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date for the appropriation section to July 1, 2050 and by making technical nonsubstantive amendments.

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 S.B. No. 2150, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2150, S.D. 2.