STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1663-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2804

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2804, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, 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 address homelessness in the State by:

(1)  Establishing the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness to, among other things:

(A)  Serve as the statewide homelessness planning and policy development entity;

(B)  Formulate a unified plan to address homelessness in all counties, including developing short- and long-term statewide strategies and plans to end homelessness, considering collaborative homelessness initiatives of other states as possible models for state and local programs, and reducing duplication among homeless assistance programs;

(C)  Facilitate the acquisition of federal funding for homeless programs; and

(D)  Report to the Governor, Legislature, and Mayors on its progress, including the statewide plan to address homelessness; and

(2)  Requiring the Department of Human Services to conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing safe havens for persons who are homeless in the State.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Partners In Care, Hawaii Catholic Conference, and Leeward Housing Coalition testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and the Interim Vice-Chair of the Hawai‘i Interagency Council on Homelessness commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.  

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

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair