STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1223-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2559

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2559, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address homelessness by increasing the availability of cost-effective emergency and transitional shelter space.  Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Provides that emergency shelters shall comply with certain minimum requirements that meet basic needs and preferences of homeless families and individuals;

     (2)  Requires homeless shelter stipend payments to be made based on performance measures that are actually achieved;

     (3)  Repeals the automatic annual adjustment of the homeless stipend amount;

     (4)  Revises existing provisions on the establishment and collection of shelter and service payments by a provider agency from homeless families and individuals;

     (5)  Requires each provider agency to submit a financial audit to the Department of Human Services at least annually;

     (6)  Establishes and funds positions for the Department of Human Services to assist in the operation of the homeless program; and

     (7)  Appropriates funds for the establishment or improvement of homeless shelter space and expenditure on other non-recurring costs.

The Family Life Center opposed this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Partners In Care, Institute for Human Services, and Hawaii Youth Services Network provided comments.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

     (2)  Allowing, rather than requiring, emergency shelters to have partitioned space for each family or individual, which provides separation from other homeless families or individuals in the shelter; and

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion.

     Should your Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Human Services respectfully requests that it consider appropriating:

     (1)  $117,471 for the personal services costs of two program specialist IV positions to assist in the operation of the homeless program; and

     (2)  $5,000,000 for the establishment or improvement of homeless shelter space and funding of other non-recurring costs for projects or programs to assist homeless families and individuals.

     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. 2559, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2559, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair