STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3372

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1576

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1576, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER CARE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Human Services to increase the monthly board rate for foster care services for children.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Family Programs Hawaii - It Takes An 'Ohana; Family Programs Hawaii President and Chief Executive Officer; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; EPIC Ohana Inc.; and ten individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Human Services has not raised the monthly board rate for foster care services since 1990.  Foster boarding home parents provide a nurturing, healthy, and safe environment for a child's development.  Increasing the monthly board rate will not only allow foster care parents to meet the increasing costs of raising children in today's society but will also encourage prospective foster care providers to provide foster care children with the essential family resources to ensure healthy emotional, psychological, and physical development.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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 H.B. No. 1576, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1576, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair