Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2188, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to remove the Director of the Office of Children and Youth as a member of the Commission on Fatherhood and to add the Director of Public Safety and an administrator of the family courts, or their designees, as members of the Commission.

The Commission on Fatherhood plays an important role in promoting healthy family relationships between parents and children and promotes involved, nurturing, and responsible fatherhood. The presence of fathers has a positive impact on the lives of their children, as reflected in better school performance, fewer high-risk behaviors, higher self-esteem, and less substance abuse.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by reinstating the provisions of the Senate Draft 1, specifically, by deleting the addition of an administrator of the family courts as a member of the Commission on Fatherhood, reverting to fifteen Commission members, and changing the effective date to upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2188, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2188, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.