STAND. COM. REP. NO. 780

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 248

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 248, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE COMMISSION ON FATHERHOOD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation for the State Commission on Fatherhood.

     Specifically, this appropriation will allow the commission to hire an executive director and staff.

     Your Committee has received comments from the State Commission on Fatherhood, Hawaii Coalition for Dads, Children's Rights Council, and two individuals, all in support of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that since its establishment in 2003, the Commission has served in an advisory capacity to state agencies in order to promote healthy family relationships between parents and children.  Your Committee further finds that for the Commission to continue in its role and to complete a statewide analysis of service provisions to fathers and develop policy recommendations on best practices for serving fathers through state agencies, the commission must hire an executive director and staff.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Extending the repeal date of the State Commission on Fatherhood to June 30, 2009;

     (2)  Changing the effective date of this measure to accommodate the extension of the repeal date; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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. 248, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 248, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair