STAND. COM. REP. 3052
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2004
RE: H.B. No. 2458
H.D. 1
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2004
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2458, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to clarify and expand the responsibility of the Department of Human Services to use alternatives to bringing children into the formal Child Protective Services.
Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services and Child Welfare Services. The Judiciary submitted comments.
Your Committee finds that the federal Child and Family Services Review of Hawaii's child welfare system recommends the use of culturally sensitive, family strengthening diversion and other supportive services to improve the safety and well-being of children and families. The amendments in this measure are necessary to comply with the federal recommendations. This measure will help ensure that the child will not be taken out of custody unnecessarily and preserve the relationships that are important to the child's well-being.
Upon further consideration, your Committee has made the following amendments:
(1) Amending the definition of "caregiver" to a person who has been caring for the child for at least six months;
(2) Providing clarifying amendments to the type of case documentation required by the department; and
(3) Deleting duplicative language regarding the police officers' duty to assume protective custody of a child.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2458, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2458, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,
____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair |
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