STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1069

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1044

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1044, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys to hire complex-based behavioral health specialists for Hawaii's rural public schools.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Opportunity Youth Action Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii Association of School Psychologists.

Your Committee finds that increasing the behavioral health specialist workforce in the State's rural public schools will help the Department of Education meet the needs of students who are experiencing trauma, grief, family separation, depression, and other crises.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount from $861,000 to an unspecified sum; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1044, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1044, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair