STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1211-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2211

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2211, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, 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, and services by:

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

     (2)  Establishing the Safe Places for Youth Pilot Program Coordinator position; and

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

The Office of Youth Services, Community Alliance on Prisons, Community Alliance for Mental Health, United Self Help, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Mental Health America of Hawaii, PHOCUSED, Hale Kipa, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, The Salvation Army – Family Intervention Services, Enterprise Honolulu, Hawaii Association for Justice, Blueprint for Change, and two concerned individuals supported this measure.  Hawaii Family Advocates and numerous concerned individuals opposed this measure.

     Your Committee finds the appropriations made under this measure are provided for the Safe Places for Youth Pilot Program Coordinator position and temporary housing opportunities for youth in crisis who participate in the Pilot Program.  Your Committee notes that there is no substantive structure provided in this measure to address how such temporary housing opportunities would be managed or accessed within the Pilot Program.  Moreover, the measure does not allocate any funds to implement the Pilot Program.  Your Committee respectfully requests that your Committee on Finance consider these issues if it decides to hear this measure. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that a goal of the Pilot Program should be to reunite youth with their families where it is determined safe to do so;

     (2)  Removing provisions that would have limited the ability of any minor to disaffirm consent given to receive services under the Pilot Program;

     (3)  Clarifying that the Safe Places for Youth Pilot Program Coordinator is required to designate for the Pilot Program network those service providers who are appropriately licensed and qualified to provide services;

     (4)  Specifying that the Pilot Program applies to "youth in crisis" and defining that term to include those youth at least 14 years of age and less than 21 years of age experiencing a crisis situation and accordingly removing the definitions of "minor", "youth", and "young adult"; and  

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2211, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2211, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair