STAND. COM. REP. NO. 405

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 912

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 912 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERMANENCY HEARINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend chapter 587, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the Child Protective Act, to ensure compliance with federal Title IV-E permanency hearing requirements.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by the State Judiciary.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that chapter 587, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the Child Protective Act, does not specifically address the federal requirement for permanency hearings at twelve month intervals to determine the permanency plan for a child in accordance with federal law.  The Department of Human Services has been informed by the federal government that Hawaii's State Plan will not be approved and the State will be restricted from obtaining federal Title IV-E funds if the requisite statutory changes are not implemented.  The Department of Human Services receives over fifty million dollars in Title IV‑E federal funds for foster board, treatment, services, staffing, and administrative costs.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 912, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 912, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair