STAND. COM. REP. NO.  935-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 523

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 523, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to support foster children by:

(1)  Requiring the Department of Human Services (DHS) to ensure that the provision of care to foster children is within certain guiding principles; and

(2)  Authorizing the Family Court to issue orders to the Department of Education, DHS, or the Department of Health to ensure adherence to these guiding principles.

     Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii Foster Youth Coalition, and numerous individuals testified in support of this bill.  DHS supported the intent of the measure.  Hawaii Family Forum opposed this measure requesting deletion of the provision requiring contact with birth parents after adoption.  The Judiciary offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Deleting the guiding principle requiring DHS to ensure that a foster child has supervised in-person contact with the child's parents and siblings following adoption;

     (2)  Inserting a defective date of January 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 523, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 523, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair