STAND. COM. REP. NO. 264

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1382

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1382 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Human Services to contract with a non-profit specializing in domestic violence to provide training and staff to be housed on-site in Child Welfare Services Branch offices to support all aspects of screening for and addressing domestic violence within a case.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Mālama ‘Ohana Working Group; Hawai‘i Youth Services Network; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Malama Ohana Working Group, established by Act 86, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, identified the need to strengthen the Child Welfare Services Branch's ability to manage cases involving domestic violence. In 2024, the Child Welfare Services Branch received five hundred one reports of children experiencing domestic violence, with one hundred eight confirmed victims. To improve response efforts, this measure provides resources to enhance the Child Welfare Services Branch's ability to assess risk, support families, and ensure effective intervention.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1382, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1382, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair