STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2629

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2226

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2226, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE STATE COMMISSION ON FATHERHOOD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the State Commission on Fatherhood.

     More specifically, this measure appropriates an unspecified amount of funds from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program to promote and support healthy families in Hawaii through recognizing the important and unique role of fathers in the lives of their children, families, and communities.

     The Department of Human Services submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that dedicating resources to the State Commission on Fatherhood will help advance its important goals and mission, which include identifying and promoting new laws, policies, and best practices to improve the involvement of fathers in children's lives.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2226, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair