STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2151

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2371

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2371 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a statewide homelessness shelter and housing data clearinghouse within the Department of Human Services to be administered by the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Judiciary, Department of Public Safety, Office of the Public Defender, City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawai‘i Health and Harm Reduction Center, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Budget and Finance, and Partners in Care.

Your Committee finds that various agencies and Hawaii's Continua of Care--consisting of Partners in Care for the island of Oahu and Bridging the Gap for the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai--collect and publish data relating to homelessness in the State. However, the information is not shared with all government agencies that need to conduct real-time assessments of available services, shelter, or low-cost housing that can be deployed to individuals experiencing homelessness or at-risk individuals efficiently and effectively. This measure creates a statewide homelessness shelter and housing data clearinghouse within the Department of Human Services to collect information on persons experiencing homelessness, and available services, shelters, and housing within the State.

Your Committee notes that multiple testimonies on this measure expressed concerns over the lack of clarity on the specifics of the data to be collected, data security, protection of personal information, and the funding required to establish and maintain the system. Your Committee believes that in addition these concerns, there are other issues that require further discussion before creating a statewide system that collects information on homelessness and allows real-time assessment of the data and available resources.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing a Statewide Homelessness Information System Working Group within the Department of Human Services to first assess the feasibility of creating a statewide homelessness information system that could be utilized by various government agencies to provide efficient and effective assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness or at-risk individuals, before establishing the system itself;

(2) Requiring the working group to report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023;

(3) Requiring the working group's report to include:

(A) An assessment of the forms of statewide homelessness information systems that collect, track, and share data in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the protection of personal information, and the form of the system most suitable for implementation in Hawaii;

(B) A financial feasibility assessment, including a cost-benefit analysis, of establishing and maintaining the statewide homelessness information system; and

(C) An assessment of whether funding for the operation of the system should be included in the base budget of the Department of Human Services;

(4) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2371, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2371, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair