STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1129-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2942

      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 S.B. No. 2942 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness to develop and implement separate regional plans for various neighborhoods across the State to coordinate the services and shelter facilities of public agencies and nonprofit organizations to meet the concerns of impacted communities and needs of the homeless population.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from a member of the Hawaii County Council and three individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, Catholic Charities Hawaii, HOPE Services Hawaii, and one individual.

 

     Your Committee recognizes that homelessness is a matter of statewide concern.  Your Committee finds that addressing homelessness requires a regional approach that involves the coordination of county and community resources to meet the needs  of the homeless population that are unique to each county or region.  This measure enables greater collaborative effort among the State, counties, neighborhood boards, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders to address homelessness in the State.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Allowing the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, in conjunction with the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness, to develop plans for the City and County of Honolulu and the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui to coordinate the services and shelter facilities of public agencies and nonprofit organizations to meet the concerns of communities impacted by homelessness and the needs of the homeless population of each region within each county; and

 

     (2)  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 S.B. No. 2942, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2942, 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