STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1665-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.C.R. No. 137

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 137 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO ESTABLISH OR CONTRACT WITH A VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDER TO MAINTAIN AN EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF SEX TRAFFICKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Human Services to establish or contract with a victim service provider to operate and maintain an emergency shelter for children who are survivors of sex trafficking.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that although Hawaii provides services for young victims of sex trafficking, neither the assessment center and shelter located at the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center nor the residential treatment program operated by Ho‘ōla Nā Pua serve as an emergency shelter for child survivors of sex trafficking. Your Committee further finds that the only emergency shelter for child survivors of sex trafficking in the State temporarily ceased its operations in 2021 because of unexpected budget shortfalls. This measure improves the State's effectiveness in responding to sexual exploitation of children by urging the Department of Human Services to establish or contract with a victim service provider to operate and maintain an emergency shelter for child survivors of sex trafficking.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Making a technical amendment to its title; 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 Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 137, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 137, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair