STAND. COM. REP. NO. 177

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 230

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 230 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MINORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to specify that a minor may consent to emergency shelter if a provider of no cost emergency shelter and services is coordinating with child welfare service.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Youth Services Network.

Your Committee finds that additional shelter and transitional living beds are currently needed for minors. Homeless minors would benefit from shelter and services programs designed for young adults aged twenty-four or younger who have similar developmental, educational, and workforce preparation needs. This measure is intended to expand the number of shelter beds available to unaccompanied minors by providing a minor with the ability to consent to emergency shelter services if a provider of a no-cost emergency shelter and services is coordinating with Child Welfare Services.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 230 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair