STAND. COM. REP. NO.  612-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2764

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2764 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure the well-being of children of incarcerated parents and support their needs by establishing the Bill of Rights for Children of Incarcerated Parents.

     The Hawaii Youth Services Network, Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents, and several individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, and The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii supported this measure with amendments.  The Department of Human Services opposed this bill, and the Department of Public Safety offered comments.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Inserting a defective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     Your Committees note that this Bill of Rights states the goals and objectives to protect these children.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Human Services & Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2764, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2764, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Human Services & Housing,

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair

____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair