STAND. COM. REP. NO. 326-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2186

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2186 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to develop a safe parking program allowing unsheltered persons who sleep in their vehicles to park overnight on state lands.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Wellness and Resilience; Partners in Care; ACLU of Hawaiʻi; The Institute for Human Services, Inc.; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Police Department. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that there is a need to innovate and expand options for unsheltered persons to access services and housing. Exploring options for a safe parking program as part of an overall strategy to develop long-term housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, is one such option the State can consider.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Human Services to include in its report to the legislature any recommended amendments to the existing statute that regulates uses of parked vehicles on public property between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.;

(2) Adding a blank appropriation for the planning and development of the Safe Parking Program;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; 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 Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2186, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2186, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair