STAND. COM. REP. NO.  651

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 986

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 986, H.D. 1, 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 for foster care services for children by:

(1)  Requiring the Department of Human Services (DHS) to increase the rate of the monthly board payment made by DHS to foster boarding home parents, group homes, and child caring institutions; and

(2)  Appropriating an unspecified amount of funds for the purposes in the measure.

Family Programs Hawai‘i; Hale ‘Opio Kaua‘i, Inc.; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Olomea; and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  DHS and a concerned individual commented on this measure.

     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 H.B. No. 986, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair