STAND. COM. REP. NO. 189

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 467

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Corrections, Military & Veterans, to which was referred H.B. No. 467 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL WORK,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Department of Public Safety, in collaboration with the Department of Human Services, to develop and establish a social work training program for nonviolent incarcerated individuals to explore potential employment in the area of social work.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, National Association of Social Workers – Hawai‘i Chapter, and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Public Safety. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committee finds that the State is facing a shortage of social workers to help individuals in the State manage their mental health and cope with stressors in their everyday lives. Additionally, some nonviolent incarcerated individuals may have experienced the need for social services or may have firsthand experience receiving services from social workers, making them uniquely qualified to enter the field of social work as assistants after undergoing training. This measure addresses the shortage of social workers in the State, while also providing opportunities for nonviolent incarcerated individuals to receive social work training that could prepare them to reintegrate into society after their period of incarceration is over.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Corrections, Military & Veterans that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 467, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 467, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Human Services.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Corrections, Military & Veterans,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair