STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2482

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2308

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2308 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for programs and services for children of incarcerated parents and to assist former inmates with reuniting with their families.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Community Alliance on Prisons, Hawaii Youth Services Network, and four individuals.

     Your Committee finds that providing support to incarcerated and recently released parents and their children helps strengthen families and benefits society by reducing recidivism and improving child development.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the amount of the appropriation to an unspecified sum;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2308, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2308, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair