STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2856

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2027

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2027, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to support the efforts of the Statewide Homeless Initiative to prevent homelessness and to rehouse homeless individuals in the State.

More specifically, this measure appropriates moneys to the Department of Human Services to continue and improve the coordinated Statewide Homeless Initiative, provided that certain conditions are met.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Catholic Charities Hawaii; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; IMUAlliance; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Partners in Care; Aloha United Way; Life Foundation & the CHOW Project; and one concerned individual.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the State Procurement Office.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Health, and Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness.

Your Committee finds that since its inception, the Statewide Homeless Initiative has helped thousands of individuals who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Your Committee notes that the State Procurement Office submitted testimony describing numerous concerns with this measure. However, your Committee believes that this measure should be passed for continued discussion and that the State Procurement Office's concerns should be addressed as the measure moves through the legislative process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation from $2,500,000 to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the allocation for continuation of the statewide homeless initiative from $2,000,000 to an unspecified amount;

(3) Changing the allocation for landlord outreach and liaison activities from $500,000 to an unspecified amount;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(5) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2027, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2027, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair