STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1524

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1195

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1195, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health and Department of Human Services, including the Office of Youth Services, to provide homeless outreach services.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Community Alliance on Prisons, Drug Policy Action Group, The Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Housing Now Coalition, IMUAlliance, Ku Aloha Ola Mau, Mental Health America of Hawaii, Partners in Care, PHOCUSED, The Salvation Army Addiction Treatment Services and Family Treatment Services, Community Health Outreach Work Project, YWCA O‘ahu, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Parents and Children Together, and ten individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committees find that homelessness continues to increase in Hawaii and Hawaii has the highest rate per capita of homelessness of any state in the nation.  Your Committees also find that addressing homelessness requires a variety of approaches, including outreach to specific populations within the homeless community to provide assistance and information regarding services.  Those suffering from mental illness or substance abuse and unaccompanied youth are some of the most vulnerable populations within the homeless community.  Your Committees find that outreach is critical to direct these individuals to services that address their specific needs and enable alternatives to homelessness.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1195, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair