STAND. COM. REP. NO. 547

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 417

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 417 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish that informal adjustment shall be prioritized over formal action with regard to a child reasonably believed to fall under the jurisdiction of the family court solely as a result of one or more violations of truancy.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Community Alliance on Prisons.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Youth Services.

     Your Committee finds that informal adjustment may be provided to a child under the jurisdiction of the family court in lieu of going through a formal action.  Informal adjustment may include various methods and programs, such as restitution projects, community service projects, community-based programs, and educational programs, that are designed to provide services and educate a child committing a status offense rather than impose penalties.  By prioritizing informal adjustment for truancy cases, this measure provides a more appropriate consequence and opportunity for change to a child than suspension from school.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 417 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair