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. 2327, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, 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 require staff members of public or private schools, agencies, or institutions who, in their professional capacity, have reason to believe that child abuse or neglect has occurred, or that there is a substantial risk that a child may be abused or neglected in the foreseeable future, to immediately report the abuse or neglect to the Department of Human Services.

This measure will ensure timely reporting and investigation of suspicions of child abuse and neglect by requiring mandatory reporters to report directly to the Department of Human Services rather than to a person in charge or a designated delegate.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by 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. 2327, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2327, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.