STAND. COM. REP. NO.  658

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1240

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Housing and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1240 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO APPROPRIATIONS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1)  Appropriate funds to continue and improve the coordinated Statewide Homeless Initiative to prevent homelessness and rehouse homeless individuals in the State; and

(2)  Authorize a master contractor to, among other things, modify the scope of services, eligibility criteria, and program operations; select agency providers; manage the funding; and perform other duties.

Hawaii Youth Services Network; Hawaiian Community Assets; Partners in Care; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Aloha United Way; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaii Pacific Health; Hawaii Disability Legal Services, LLLC; CHOW Project; Hawaii Affordable Properties; and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of the Attorney General (AG), Department of Human Services (DHS), State Procurement Office, and two individuals provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1)  Requiring DHS to procure the services of the master contractor in accordance with Chapters 103D or 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes; have oversight or manage the funds expended by the master contractor; and develop policies and procedures for a fair and equitable procurement process;

(2)  Specifying that the master contractor shall be accountable for any funds expended;

(3)  Changing its effective date to take effect upon a date to be determined to facilitate further discussion on this measure; and

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

Should this measure proceed further in the legislative process, your Committees note that the concerns and issues raised by the AG and DHS in their testimony should be discussed and deliberated.  

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1240, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1240, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Chair

____________________________ TOM BROWER, Chair