CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 207-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3111

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3111, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a five-year Family Resource Centers Pilot Program within the Department of Human Services;

(2) Establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Family Resource Centers Coordinator position within the Department of Human Services; and

(3) Appropriate an unspecified amount of funds for the establishment of the Family Resource Centers Pilot Program, one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Family Resource Centers Coordinator position, and expenses related to the development and implementation of a statewide network of family resource centers.

Your Committee on Conference finds that family resource centers play a critical role in preventing child abuse and neglect, strengthening children and families, connecting family-impacting agencies and programs, creating opportunities for community-level coordination, creating connections to resources and support systems, and increasing family engagement, which all lead to greater student success in school. Communities with family resource centers show lower rates of child abuse and neglect investigations, lower numbers of children entering foster care, and an increase in parents or custodians gaining employment within one year after participating in services provided through the centers. This measure establishes a five-year Family Resource Centers Pilot Program, that will allow the Departments of Human Services, Education, and Health to provide coordinated family-impacting services designed to meet the needs, cultures, and interests of communities served by family resource centers.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $300,000;

(2) Amending section 1 to clarify its purpose;

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2022, and a repeal date of June 30, 2027; and

(4) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3111, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3111, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ ADRIAN K. TAM Co-Chair	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Co-Chair