STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1399-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2790

S.D. 2

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 Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2790, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, 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 Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Family Programs Hawaii, Epic ‘Ohana, and many individuals testified in support of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2790, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2790, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair