STAND. COM. REP. NO.  957-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2211

      S.D. 2

      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 S.B. No. 2211, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide safe places where youth can seek shelter from harmful environments and access advice, guidance, programs, and services by:

(1)  Establishing the five year Safe Places for Youth Pilot Program;

(2)  Establishing the Youth Program Coordinator position; and

(3)  Appropriating funds to establish the Youth Program Coordinator position and provide residential options for the Pilot Program.

The Hawaii Youth Services Network, Community Alliance for Mental Health, United Self Help, Hawaii Association for Justice, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Partners in Care, Blueprint for Change, PHOCUSED, Hawaii Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Enterprise Honolulu, Mental Health America of Hawai‘i, and four concerned individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Office of Youth Services supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Amending the definition of "young adult" to mean persons of at least 18 but less than 21 years of age;

(2)  Amending the definition of "youth" to mean a person of at least 14 but less than 21 years of age;

(3)  Specifying that the pilot program is intended to serve youth under the age of 21; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2211, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2211, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair