STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1202

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 613

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 613, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Make the Safe Spaces for Youth Pilot Program a permanent program within the Office of Youth Services; and

(2) Appropriate funds for Safe Spaces for Youth Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Office of Youth Services; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health; Office of the Public Defender; Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Commission; Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaiʻi; Office of Housing and Community Development of the County of Hawaiʻi; two members of the Hawaiʻi County Council; Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties; Pride at Work–Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network; Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Going Home Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center; Pacific Academy of Music; Ohana Unity Party; Opportunity for Youth Action Hawaiʻi; Lei Pua ʻAla Queer Histories of Hawaiʻi; Imua Alliance; and fourteen individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that runaway and homeless youth are vulnerable to multiple threats, including having unmet basic food and shelter needs, untreated mental health disorders, substance use, significant disruption to their education, sexually transmitted diseases and human immunodeficiency virus infection, sexual exploitation, physical victimization, and suicide. Your Committee further finds that in recognition of the risks that homeless youth face, the Legislature established a Safe Spaces for Youth Pilot Program within the Department of Human Services through Act 130, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022. Your Committee notes that the Safe Spaces for Youth Pilot Program is scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2025, but should be made permanent to continue supporting homeless youth in the State. This measure makes the Safe Spaces for Youth Pilot Program a permanent program within the Office of Youth Services to continue reducing homelessness, improving well-being of homeless youth, and helping young people become productive and self-sufficient members of the community.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting language from H.B. No. 1101, Regular Session of 2025, a substantively similar measure that:

(1) Makes the Safe Spaces for Youth Pilot Program a permanent program within the Office of Youth Services; and

(2) Is effective upon its approval.

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, does not appropriate funds for the Safe Spaces for Youth Program; however, the Office of Youth Services is requesting a general budget appropriation of $1,691,516 for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 613, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 613, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair