STAND. COM. REP. NO. 388-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2526

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2526 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the operating budget of the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Homeless Program Coordinator for the County of Maui, and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association.

Your Committee notes that the State Homeless Database (database) is imperative to understand the size, characteristics, and needs of the homeless population at the local, state, and national levels. The database information is also used to complete various required state and federal reports. According to the Department of Human Services, the database is now necessary as the previous single statewide Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), owned by the State's two Continuum of Care organizations, was bifurcated into a system for homeless services provided on Oahu and a system for homeless services in Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui County. Consequently, the Department of Human Services' Homeless Programs Office is now required to have its own database to receive data from both systems to provide necessary contractual oversight and program analytics.

Your Committee notes that the State Homeless Database expense became necessary when Partners in Care voluntarily removed itself from the statewide HMIS and therefore finds that costs for any such extension of HMIS should be borne by Partners in Care.

Your Committee additionally notes that despite the written testimony on the Hawaii Commission on the Status of Women monies, the monies requested are already in the Department of Human Services budget.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding transportation to and from the Department of Health's short-term stabilization bed facilities to the $5,000,000 appropriation for homeless services (HMS224) for stored property and debris removal services for state lands;

(2) Changing its effective date to December 31, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2526, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2526, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair