STAND

 

STAND. COM. REP. 2742

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2630

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2630, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER CUSTODY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services (Department) to make a good faith effort to identify, locate, and assess members of a child's extended family for the purpose of placing the child under the foster care of the extended family member.

Your Committee finds that the measure requires the Department to establish a protocol to identify, locate, and assess extended family members as placement resources for children who are placed in foster care. The measure exempts:

(1) Police officers engaged in the duty of assuming protective custody of a child without a court order and the subsequent transfer of the child into protective custody of the Department; and

(2) The Department's practice of assuming temporary foster custody of a child without a court order;

from complying with the protocol established under the measure.

Your Committee believes that the Department should search for qualified, willing relatives to be considered as placement resources for children in need of foster homes. Currently, extended family members and other persons suggested by the family or child are solicited as potential foster parents. Passing this measure is consistent with the policies of the Department and will ensure its commitment to placing foster children with family members who meet the requirements of a foster parent.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2630, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

		____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair