CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 167-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2791

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2791, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Office of Youth Services to create and develop the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center, to be operated and maintained by the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facilities, to prevent delinquency and reduce the incidence of recidivism among youth at risk and young adults; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Department of Human Services for the operational expenses of an organization to provide prevention, intervention, and group and individual counseling for high risk youth.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the Legislature enacted Act 201, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, to reform the State's juvenile justice system, improve outcomes for Hawaii's youth in the juvenile justice system, and maximize the use of the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facilities' appropriations and treatment services. Your Committee on Conference further finds that critical services to reduce delinquency, including mental health treatment, prevention of youth homelessness, vocational services, and substance abuse treatment, are still insufficiently resourced and inaccessible to Hawaii's at-risk youth and young adult population. This measure will allow youth and young adults, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four, who are in the juvenile justice system to receive assistance and much-needed services to prevent further delinquency and recidivism.

Your Committee on Conference notes that this measure is intended to provide state employees at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility an opportunity to work at a new facility and is not intended to displace existing state employees who already provide critical services for youth at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the purpose section;

(2) Permitting, rather than requiring, the Office of Youth Services and Hawaii Youth Correctional Facilities to establish and operate the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center;

(3) Clarifying that opportunities may be given to existing employees to participate in the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center's services and programs, including discussing long-term plans for employment and training opportunities to contribute professionally to the program;

(4) Clarifying that the Department of Education shall be the sole provider of standards–based education services for youth adults at risk and young adults identified with special education needs or actively receiving special education services;

(5) Removing the appropriation for the operational costs of an organization to provide prevention, intervention, and counseling for high risk youth;

(6) Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

(7) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2791, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2791, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO Co-Chair	____________________________ JOSH GREEN Chair
____________________________ SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO Co-Chair	____________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN Co-Chair
____________________________ BERTRAND KOBAYASHI Co-Chair	____________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE Co-Chair