STAND. COM. REP. NO. 623

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 900

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 900, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a working group to improve family court processes, including access to legal representation for youth in the child welfare system.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary; Department of Human Services; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Hawaii Coalition for Child Protective Reform; National Center for Youth Law; HCANSpeaks!; HI H.O.P.E.S.; and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that this measure promotes collaboration with the judicial and legal system, partners, and lived-experience experts to continue to better outcomes for children, youth, families, and communities. Your Committee believes that it would be beneficial for a representative of the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Services Branch to participate in the working group.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the working group to include a representative of the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Services Branch;

(2) Extending the deadline for the report by the working group to 2027;

(3) Specifying that the appropriation may be used for members of the working group to make site visits and to assist with the report drafting; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 900, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 900, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair