STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2542

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2561

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2561 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A SEX TRAFFICKING EMERGENCY SHELTER,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of Human Services to establish or contract with a victim service provider to operate an emergency shelter for minors who are victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers; Office of the Public Defender; Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu; one member of the Hawai‘i County Council; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Imua Alliance; Rainbow Family 808; American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Chapter; Opportunity Youth Action Hui; Hale Kipa; and three individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Taxation, Office of Youth Services, Department of Budget and Finance, and one individual.

Your Committees find that despite the creation and development of a shelter for young victims of sex trafficking at the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center and the residential treatment program for victims of sex trafficking opened by Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, there is still a gap in service that can be met by an emergency shelter for minor victims of sex trafficking. This measure will improve the State's effectiveness in responding to sexual exploitation of minors in Hawaii by allowing government agencies and victim service providers to establish a coordinated continuum of care and protect victims in a centralized location.

Your Committees note the testimony of the Office of Youth Services requesting that this measure reference section 352D-4(3), Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the Office's authority to provide continuum of services for community-based shelter and residential facilities, to allow the Office to expand services within its current infrastructure and avoid duplication of services with the Department of Human Services.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Human Services is authorized to establish or contract with a victim service provider to operate an emergency shelter for sex trafficking victims, as a community-based shelter and residential facility offered by the Department's Office of Youth Services pursuant to section 352D-4(3), Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Inserting an unspecified appropriation amount; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2561, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2561, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair