STAND. COM. REP. NO. 897

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 70

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 70, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOMELESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a Return-to-Home Program within the Department of Human Services to provide qualified homeless individuals with assistance in reuniting with family and relatives in the individual's home state.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Help the Hawaii Homeless and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committee finds that twelve percent of Hawaii's sheltered homeless and fourteen percent of Hawaii's unsheltered homeless have been in the State for one year or less.  Your Committee further finds that the Return-to-Home Program proposed by this measure would help homeless persons and families return to support networks in their home states, thus reducing the burden on Hawaii's resources.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the requirement that an individual be receiving social services in order to be eligible for the Return-to-Home Program;

     (2)  Specifying that an individual may participate in the Return-to-Home Program only once and shall sign an agreement to this effect that shall be kept on file with the Department of Human Services;

     (3)  Requiring the Department of Human Services to assist program participants with public transportation to the airport and ensure that program participants are instructed in the basics of personal hygiene and have sufficient physical and mental health to endure a return flight; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 H.B. No. 70, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 70, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair