STAND

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 417-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 1812

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1812 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL WORKERS CODE OF ETHICS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to hold child protective services caseworkers accountable by establishing a social caseworkers code of ethics.

Several individuals testified in support of this measure. The National Association of Social Workers supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Human Services and Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO opposed this measure. The Office of Information Practices provided comments.

During the 2003 interim, your Committee held a series of child protective services forums to allow the public to voice their concerns. One of the oft-heard comments was the need for child welfare workers to be held accountable for their actions, with some suggesting a code of ethics for the caseworkers to follow.

 

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Clarifying that the term "child welfare worker" should be used instead of social caseworkers;

(2) Clarifying that caseworkers are required to provide information when required by state or federal law, including a court order;

(3) Clarifying that caseworkers provide clients with reasonable access to their own records as required by part III of Chapter 92F, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

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. 1812, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1812,

H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

 

		____________________________ MICHAEL PUAMAMO KAHIKINA, Chair