STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1231-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2804

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2804, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permanently establish and appropriate funds to the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness within the Department of Human Services.  

The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  Catholic Charities Hawaii and Partners In Care commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting substantially similar provisions contained in H.B. No. 1735, H.D. 1 (2012), which also establishes the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness but on a temporary basis, rather than on a permanent basis, and without an appropriation for the council's administrative expenses.  This measure is further amended by requiring the Department of Human Services to:

(1)  Conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing safe havens for persons who are homeless in the State; and

(2)  Submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature prior to the convening of the 2013 Regular Session.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2804, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2804, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

____________________________

RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair