Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 27 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Kapiolani Child At-Risk Evaluation program to continue offering forensic health care services to children who are victims or suspected victims of abuse and neglect.

Your Committee finds that over two thousand five hundred children are abused and neglected each year in Hawaii. The Kapiolani Child At-Risk Evaluation program is the only one of its kind on Oahu to provide medical expertise in the field of child abuse and child-abuse related health problems. The program offers pre-placement medical evaluations for children entering foster care and forensic medical evaluations for children who are suspected victims of abuse and neglect. The program also provides information to Child Welfare Services for the purposes of providing evidence in cases of abuse and neglect and reducing the risk of erroneous accusations.

Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the amounts appropriated to unspecified amounts and by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

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. 27, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 27, S.D. 1.