STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1373-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2371

S.D. 2

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 Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2371, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Statewide Homelessness Information System Working Group to assess the feasibility of establishing a statewide information system to collect and track real-time data related to homelessness in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Public Safety, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness; Department of Budget and Finance; Partners In Care; and Institute for Human Services, Inc.

Your Committee finds that homelessness is an ongoing crisis in the State. Your Committee further finds that collecting and understanding accurate, real-time data related to homelessness is vital to strategically addressing homelessness in Hawaii by identifying gaps where homelessness services, shelter, or housing are required but not available and informing policymakers on where funding may be directed to address those gaps.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the composition of the working group to generally include nonprofit organizations that provide continuum of care services in the State, rather than naming specific organizations;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2371, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2371, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair