STAND. COM. REP. NO. 104

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 470

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 470 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the expiration of and the reporting deadline for the emergency homelessness assessment pilot program; and

(2) Extend the expiration of and the reporting deadline for the medical respite pilot program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, The Queen's Health Systems, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Human Services Homeless Programs Office is in the process of executing contracts for the emergency homelessness assessment pilot program and the medical respite pilot with the identified medical providers. However, the homelessness assessment pilot program and the medical respite pilot program need additional time to become fully operational. This measure extends the sunset dates for the pilot programs and the due dates for reports to the Legislature, which will enable the programs to become fully operational and ensure that the Department of Human Services is able to sufficiently evaluate the programs' effectiveness and provide more accurate data to the Legislature.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 470 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair