STAND. COM. REP. NO.  451-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1596

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1596 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LITERACY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help teach children to read, strengthen family relationships, and improve family attitudes towards school and learning by establishing and funding a literacy program within the Department of Human Services that would allow collaboration with nonprofit groups to provide direct services to children and their parents.

Hawaii Literacy, Read Aloud America, and a concerned individual submitted testimony in support of this bill.  The Office of the Lieutenant Governor supported the intent of the bill.  WorldPeacePlan.org commented on this bill.  The Department of Human Services opposed the bill.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate discussion; and

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

     Your Committee notes that the appropriation amount is currently unspecified, and respectfully requests that your Committee on Finance consider specifying the amount to be appropriated, should it choose to consider this measure.

     Your Committee has not addressed vendor selection, which your Committee believes should be done by the Department of Human Services.

     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. 1596, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1596, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair