STAND. COM. REP. NO. 409-04
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2004
RE: H.B. No. 1863
H.D. 2
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2004
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1863, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILIES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to:
(1) Expand the jurisdiction of family court;
(2) Increase the use of ohana conferences and ohana-conference orientations;
(3) Encourage the use of voluntary service plans; and
(4) Require the provision of necessary services to children placed in the permanent custody of the Department of Human Services.
The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii testified in support of this bill. The State Advisory Council of Child Welfare Services opposed this measure. The Department of Human Services testified in support and opposition to parts of the bill. The Judiciary offered comments and expressed a concern over the potential cost should the Legislature choose to create a new right to counsel for family members involved in proceedings brought under the Child Protective Act.
Your Committee finds, based on the testimony presented, that this bill makes many positive changes to the existing law.
Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive changes for consistency and clarity.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1863, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1863, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,
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____________________________ ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair |
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