CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 148-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2482

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2482, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WELLNESS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to establish an Office of Wellness and Resilience within the Office of the Governor to support and implement the statewide framework developed by the Trauma-Informed Care Task Force established pursuant to Act 209, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021.

Your Committee on Conference finds that traumatic experiences, especially in childhood, can have a lifelong impact on health, learning, and even brain development. Positively influencing a child's developing brain is more effective and less costly than attempting to correct poor learning, health, and behaviors later in life. Your Committee on Conference further finds that currently, state agencies and departments have worked independently to train their family-serving workforce in trauma-informed care. The office established by this measure will lead the creation and adoption of a statewide framework for trauma—informed and responsive practices, which among other things, will help to coordinate the various agencies that have individually taken steps toward improving trauma—informed care.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $894,528 for the establishment and operations of the Office of Wellness and Resilience, which includes six full-time equivalent (6.0 FTE) positions and two contracted consultants; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2022.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2482, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2482, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Chair
____________________________ LISA KITAGAWA Co-Chair	____________________________ BENNETTE MISALUCHA Co-Chair
____________________________ ADRIAN K. TAM Co-Chair