STAND. COM. REP. NO. 662

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 186

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 186 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER CARE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the monthly board rate paid by the Department of Human Services for foster care services.

     The term "board rate" refers to the compensation paid by the State to foster care parents to pay for certain expenses of foster care children.

     Your Committee finds that the monthly board rate for foster care services has not been raised since 1990.  Failure to increase the rate has made it difficult for foster families to provide food, housing, utilities, clothing, and other necessary items for their foster children.

     Your Committee amended this bill by changing the effective date to July 1, 2090, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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. 186, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 186, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair