SB2207 SD1

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2207
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE HAWAII INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness was established in 2012 to provide solutions for ending homelessness in Hawaii. The membership of this council represents a wide cross section of the community, including representatives from the government, business community, faith-based community, and social services, and was intended to provide the perspective and expertise necessary to develop overall strategies to prevent and end homelessness.

The legislature further finds that in the wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the number of people experiencing homelessness is expected to increase across the State. According to True Colors United, an American nonprofit organization that addresses youth homelessness in the United States, forty per cent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ youth are one hundred twenty per cent more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ+ peers.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to specifically consider the needs of homeless LGBTQ+ youth by requiring a representative from a LGBTQ+ focused organization to be included as a member of the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness.

SECTION 2. Section 346-382, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) The Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall be composed of the following members or the member's designee:

(1) Governor's coordinator on homelessness, who shall serve as chair;

(2) Director of human services;

(3) Administrator of the homeless programs office of the department of human services;

(4) Director of health;

(5) Director of labor and industrial relations;

(6) Director of public safety;

(7) Director of business, economic development, and tourism;

(8) Chairperson of the Hawaiian homes commission;

(9) Adjutant general;

(10) Chairperson of the board of trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs;

(11) Attorney general;

(12) Superintendent of education;

(13) Two members of the house of representatives to be designated by the speaker of the house of representatives, of whom one member shall be designated by the speaker of the house of representatives to serve as an alternate member on the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness to serve in the other member's absence;

(14) Two members of the senate to be designated by the president of the senate, of whom one member shall be designated by the president of the senate to serve as an alternate member on the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness to serve in the other member's absence;

(15) A representative of the Hawaii public housing authority;

(16) The mayor of each county;

(17) A representative of the continuum of care programs in each county, to be designated by the respective mayors;

(18) A representative of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs who shall be requested to serve by the governor;

(19) A representative from the Office of Community Planning and Development, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, who shall be requested to serve by the governor;

(20) A representative of a faith-based organization with interfaith relationships, to be designated by the governor; [~~and~~]

(21) A representative of the business community, to be designated by the governor[.]; and

(22) A representative of a LGBTQ+ focused organization to be designated by the governor."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.