Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 473, S.D. 1, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to require informational meetings as a component of the county zoning permit process for group living facilities for people who have been released from a correctional facility or mental health institution, or who are receiving treatment for substance abuse or sex offender treatment.

The Department of Public Safety and a concerned individual supported this measure. Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and Hale Opio Kauai, Inc., opposed this measure.

Your Committees finds that communities are concerned about the location of certain group living facilities, particularly when they are located near schools. Opponents of this measure felt that it was overly broad and may violate the federal Fair Housing Act. However, opponents agreed that the informational meeting process should apply to facilities housing convicted sex offenders and violent offenders.

Additionally, your Committees had an extensive discussion pertaining to substance abuse and whether facilities housing persons undergoing substance abuse treatment should be included. Your Committees agreed that facilities housing sex offenders and violent offenders should comply with the informational meeting process, and respectfully requests that the Committee on Judiciary discuss and determine if facilities housing individuals undergoing substance abuse treatment should be included as well.

Your Committees have amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 473, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 473, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.