STAND. COM. REP. NO.  565-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1842

      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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1842, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist individuals facing or experiencing homelessness by:

(1)  Funding various homeless and housing programs;

(2)  Mandating the establishment of the three-year Return-to-Home Program for eligible homeless individuals; and

(3)  Transferring responsibility for the Homeless Assistance Working Group, established by Act 222, Session Laws of Hawaii 2013, from the Department of Human Services to the Legislature.

The Hawaii Primary Care Association, Community Alliance for Mental Health, United Self Help, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Helping Hands Hawaii, PHOCUSED, Hawaii Catholic Conference, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and an individual supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services and Department of Health 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. 1842, 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