STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1052-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2021

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2021, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address a gap in the availability of services for homeless individuals with mental illness by:

(1) Requiring that the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the Department of Health, establish a pilot project to operate a suitable unused state facility to provide shelter and mental health treatment for homeless individuals with severe mental illness who are subject to court-ordered involuntary hospitalization; and

(2) Appropriating funds to the Department of Human Services for the pilot project.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawaii, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and several individuals supported this measure. The Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of the Attorney General, Department of Health, Department of Human Services, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and an individual offered comments for this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount from $500,000 to an unspecified amount; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2021, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2021, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair