STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1403-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2089

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2089, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A YOUTH COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Youth Commission within the Office of Youth Services to advise the Governor and Legislature on the effects of legislative policies, needs, assessments, priorities, programs, and budgets relating to youth. This measure also appropriates funds to hire one staff position to administer the Youth Commission and for other administrative costs.

Hawaii Youth Services Network, Community Alliance on Prisons, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, IMUAlliance, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Parents and Children Together, and a few concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Office of Youth Services submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee notes that the Community Alliance on Prisons suggests that this measure can be strengthened if youth who were homeless, involved in foster care, and involved in the justice system are part of the Youth Commission.

Your Committee further notes a concern that the Youth Commission's age range of fourteen to twenty-four may be excessively wide. Your Committee raised this concern with the representative testifying on behalf of the Office of Youth Services who responded by suggesting that lowering the maximum age to twenty or twenty-one may beneficially narrow the focus of the Youth Commission.

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 S.B. No. 2089, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2089, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair