STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1145-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2790

S.D. 2

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. 2790, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide greater rights for children in foster care. Specifically, this measure replaces the guiding principles for children in foster care under the Child Protective Act with the rights of children in foster care, which preserves the current rights of children in foster care and provides certain additional rights.

The Judiciary; Department of Human Services; Department of Education; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; EPIC ‘Ohana, Inc.; Hawaii Children's Action Network; Family Programs Hawaii; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to facilitate further discussion; 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 Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2790, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2790, S.D. 2, 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