STAND. COM. REP. NO.210
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2003
RE: S.B. No. 959
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2003
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 959 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to require mandatory physical and medical forensic examinations of children placed into protective custody under chapter 350, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and to appropriate funds for such forensic examinations.
Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Na Keiki Law Center, a program of Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii. Testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services.
Your Committee finds that requiring forensic medical examinations of children in cases of suspected child abuse would allow the State to identify their potential medical and physical needs early in the process, thus allowing these children to receive the treatment they require.
The Department of Human Services submitted verbal testimony that the projected cost of providing forensic medical examinations would be $4,238,000 each year of the biennium; however, the State is being asked only for $150,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year of the biennium. This represents only a portion of total program costs, as a two-year grant has been received that would cover the major portion of program costs for two years.
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 S.B. No. 959 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,
____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair |
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