STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2146

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2730

       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 S.B. No. 2730 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a grandparent preference for out-of-home placement of children needing child protective services.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Catholic Charities Hawai‘i and one private individual.  Oral testimony in support was given by the Department of Human Services, EPIC Ohana Conferencing, Kokua Ohana, Na Tutu Coalition, Parents for Righteousness, Partners in Development, Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, and six private citizens.  Comments on the measure were submitted by the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. 

     Your Committee finds that kinship connection has been proven to be an important factor for foster children to thrive in their home environments, and that several testifiers gave moving testimony in strong support of this measure. 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Indicating that in addition to grandparents, a preference may be given to other appropriate family members who are identified by the Department of Human Services; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2730, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2730, 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