STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2145

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2443
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2443 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the reporting of
child abuse or neglect by professionals and officials to either
the police or the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Human Services (DHS), Honolulu Prosecuting
Attorney, Honolulu Police Department, Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii,
and Catholic Charities.

     The intent of this measure is to facilitate and expedite the
furnishing of services by the DHS for child abuse and neglect
cases.  Current law requires the reporter of child abuse or
neglect to report to the police and child protective services.
Under this measure, it will be less cumbersome for the reporter
to report to two agencies.  Police departments and child
protective services are still obligated to report to each other
once they have received a report of child abuse or neglect.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2443 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2145
                                   Page 2


be referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Intergovernmental Affairs.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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