Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2725, S.D. 2, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect by appropriating an unspecified amount to the Healthy Start program.

Your Committees received supporting testimony from the Department of Human Services, Catholic Charities of Hawaii, and the Blueprint for Change organization.

The Healthy Start program is a statewide child abuse and prevention program that identifies high risk families before abuse or neglect can begin. The program provides resources that strengthen family resiliency and link families to community services. Your Committees understand that the proposed appropriation is needed to address a budget shortfall in the program.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

to facilitate further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2725, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2725, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.