STAND. COM. REP. NO. 306-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1859

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1859 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow a minor, who is at least 16 years old, to petition a Family Court for emancipation.

The Department Education testified in support of this measure. The Department of Attorney General, Department of Human Services, and Hawaii Youth Services Network provided comments.

Your Committed has amended this measure by:

(1) Limiting the investigation a court may require of the Department of Human Services to reports or allegations of child abuse or neglect. This constraint would keep the investigation within the statutory bounds of the Department's investigatory powers;

(2) Allowing the court, or the minor's parents or guardians, to arrange for a mental health evaluation from an appropriate mental health professional and not the Department of Health;

(3) Requiring that an emancipation proceeding be stayed if the minor has an active child protective proceeding; and

(4) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to promote further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1859, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1859, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair