STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1149-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2162

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2162, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to help foster children successfully transition out of foster care and into independent living by:

(1) Allowing the Director of Human Services to sign a foster child's application for an instruction permit, provisional license, or driver's license;

(2) Specifying the persons and programs responsible for paying the motor vehicle insurance of a foster child;

(3) Allowing higher education board allowances to be paid directly to a former foster child; and

(4) Removing the requirement that a foster child's medical records be disclosed by the department to the child's foster parents.

The Hawaii Youth Services Network supported this bill. The Department of Human Services supported the intent of the bill. Hawaii Insurers Council commented on the measure.

Your Committee finds that this bill is consistent with the State's responsibility to provide the best possible care of its foster children.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2162, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

		____________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair