STAND. COM. REP. NO. 969

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 900, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish within the Judiciary a working group for legal services for youth in the child welfare system; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the working group.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Department of Human Services; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Hawaii Coalition for Child Protective Reform; Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network; National Center for Youth Law; Epic ʻOhana; HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Mālama ʻOhana Working Group; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 900, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair