STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3021

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 523

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 523, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish guiding principles by which the Department of Human Services shall abide with respect to foster children; and

     (2)  Authorize the family court to issue necessary orders, sua sponte or on motion of a guardian ad litem, to ensure adherence to these guiding principles.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and the Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i.  Written testimony commenting on the measure was submitted by the Judiciary.

     Your Committee finds that this measure would give youth a voice and the ability to participate in significant decisions impacting their own lives in court hearings, meetings with their case workers, and transitional planning conferences.  Your Committee further finds that this measure would promote the stability of foster placements, assist foster children in understanding the protections available to them when they enter foster custody, and help to improve the overall quality of life for foster children.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to "upon approval".

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair