STAND. COM. REP. NO. 14-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1916
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred H.B. No. 1916 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is eliminate duplicative child
abuse reporting procedures by requiring mandated reporters to
report suspected child abuse and neglect to either the Department
of Human Service (DHS) or the police departments.

     DHS, the Honolulu Police Department, and the Department of
the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu
testified in support of this measure.  One individual submitted
comments.

     Act 271, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 1999, required
mandated reporters to report suspected child abuse and neglect to
both DHS and the police departments.  However, mandated reporters
have expressed concerns that dual reporting is confusing, time-
consuming, and redundant.

     Additionally, there have been unintended consequences from
Act 271, SLH 1999.  Your Committee found that mandated reporters
are hesitant to report, and sometimes fail to report, suspected
child abuse to the police departments because, according to
police procedures, reporters must disclose their name.  Mandated
reporters often want their names kept confidential; however,
police procedures dictate otherwise.  Allowing mandated reporters

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 14-00
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to report to either DHS or the police would alleviate this
concern.

     Your Committee believes that due to a procedure that is in
place and a Memorandum of Agreement that exists between DHS and
all county police departments, reports of child abuse are being
shared among the agencies.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 1916 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair