STAND. COM. REP. NO. 642

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1228

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1228 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

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

(2) Appropriate funds for the working group.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary; Department of Human Services; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Hawaiʻi Youth Services Network; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaii Coalition for Child Protective Reform; HI H.O.P.E.S. Initiative; National Center for Youth Law; and six individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that the Malama Ohana Working Group, established by Act 86, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, offered a number of recommendations to establish a trauma-informed child welfare system, including reforming the process of the family court. In accordance with those recommendations and to create a more equitable, successful child welfare system, this measure establishes a working group for legal services for youth in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language to include a member of the Domestic Violence Action Center to the working group for legal services for youth in the child welfare system;

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1228, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1228, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair