Report Title:

Emergency Domestic Violence Shelters; Appropriation

Description:

Makes an appropriation for emergency domestic violence shelters.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1498
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR EMERGENCY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that domestic violence has become one of the most significant social problems facing the State.  According to statistics provided by the Honolulu Police Department, Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, and Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, domestic violence is the cause of one death each month in a population of approximately 1,000,000.  Shelters across the state serve about 1,000 adults and 1,100 children each year.

     The State must continue funding emergency domestic violence shelters to provide safe havens for women and their children made homeless due to domestic violence.  General fund moneys have been used to fund emergency domestic violence shelters in the state since 2004.  However, the amount of moneys awarded to each of the service areas in the state has remained fixed despite the severe increase in the cost of running the shelters.

     The needs of domestic violence victims have also increased dramatically since 2004.  Today, families and individuals being placed in shelters are affected by many issues, including substance use and addiction, mental health, child abuse and neglect, homelessness, loss of income, lack of employable skills, lack of parenting skills, and lack of medical and dental care.  To aid the victim in moving successfully from the shelter to a non-abusive living environment in light of these varying issues, service delivery must be expanded without sacrificing service quality.  Domestic violence shelter staff must be thoroughly trained in these areas.  All these incur additional costs.

     The legislature finds that without additional funding, statewide emergency domestic violence shelters are unable to meet the needs of the community.  The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for emergency domestic violence shelters.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $762,500 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for the support of eight statewide emergency domestic violence shelters, as follows, in each fiscal year:

     (1)  Windward Oahu                     $160,000;

     (2)  Leeward Oahu and Honolulu         $125,000;

     (3)  Molokai                           $62,500;

     (4)  Maui                              $115,000;

     (5)  Kauai                             $150,000;

     (6)  East Hawaii                       $62,500; and

     (7)  West Hawaii                       $87,500.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

INTRODUCED BY:

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