STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3059

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2019

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2019, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Human Services to establish a three-year homeless employment grant program to connect homeless individuals with work opportunities and service providers; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the homeless employment grant program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Hawaii Youth Services Action Network, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and six individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and State Procurement Office.

Your Committees find that despite increased efforts and resources to reduce homelessness in the State, homelessness still remains a significant issue and service providers often have difficulty assisting homeless individuals and identifying the services they need. Some service providers in the State have successfully assisted homeless individuals with finding temporary work, but only in certain areas and communities. Establishing a homeless employment grant program will allow homeless individuals to increase their self-esteem and gain valuable work experience that will help them progress to being self-sufficient, while at the same time allow them to contribute to their community.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Delaying the implementation of the homeless employment grant program to July 1, 2020, to allow the Department of Human Services to develop a plan for the grant program; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2019, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2019, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair