STAND. COM. REP. NO. 738-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2424

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2424, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Expand the investigative power of the Department of Human Services to include inspections of families with:

(A) Children who have been adopted or placed in legal guardianship and whose families are receiving financial assistance through the State; and

(B) Children in the foster care system for whom there is a pending petition for adoption and the child is pendente lite or for whom an adoption decree has been issued but the child has not yet been placed in the custody of the adoption petitioner;

(2) Require the Department of Human Services to collect and analyze data to determine the impact of expanding home visits to families receiving adoption assistance or legal guardianship assistance;

(3) Appropriate funds for additional case workers and support staff; and

(4) Appropriate funds to increase compensation for existing child welfare services case worker positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from twelve individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Family Advocacy Team. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Human Services, Department of Budget and Finance, and one individual.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2424, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair