STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2602

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2718

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2718, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII CHILDREN'S TRUST FUND,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Amend and establish new responsibilities and members for the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board;

     (2)  Amend the responsibilities of the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Coalition; and

     (3)  Eliminate the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Committee.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Children's Trust Fund, Hawaii Community Foundation, and four individuals.

     Your Committees find that the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund provides important input into state planning of child abuse and neglect efforts.  Your Committees further find that the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund's decision making and collaboration will be strengthened by clarifying the roles and responsibilities among participating public and private partners through a shift in structure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding language making the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board responsible for advising the Department of Health on matters involving the prevention of child abuse and neglect;

     (2)  Adding language making the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board responsible for establishing protocols to foster communication with the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Coalition on priorities and decisions of the Advisory Board;

     (3)  Inserting language requiring that one member of the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board be a representative of the Family Health Services Division of the Department of Health; and

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

     Your Committees request that as this measure advances through the legislative process, the following proposed amendments also be considered for adoption:

     (1)  Establishing duration of terms, possibly four-year terms, for members of the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board;

     (2)  Establishing staggered terms for transitioning members of the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board;

     (3)  Determining whether the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board is subject to or exempt from Sunshine Law requirements;

     (4)  Changing the name of the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board to the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Board;

     (5)  Adding language to section 350B-4(b)(12), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to include on the Hawaii Children's Trust Fund Advisory Board representatives from Molokai and Lanai, and a second representative from the County of Hawaii so that there is one representative from the East area of Hawaii and another representative from the West area of Hawaii; and

     (6)  Changing the wording in section 350B-4(b)(13), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to reference a "parent or consumer advocate" instead of "survivors of child abuse and neglect".

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2718, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2718, S.D. 2, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health,

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair