STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1100

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 398

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 398, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Human Services to collect and analyze data to determine the impact of expanding post-permanency services to families receiving benefits from the State's Adoption Assistance Program and report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature before the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Department of Human Services for the procurement of contracted services to provide additional support, resources, and monitoring of families receiving benefits from the State's Adoption Assistance Program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Coalition for Child Protective Reform and one individual.

Your Committees find that additional measures are needed to strengthen the network of state systems that protect and ensure the safety and security of at—risk children who are or have previously been under the protection and legal jurisdiction of the State. One means to accomplish this goal is to extend the oversight of child welfare services beyond foster care to include children whose families receive payments through the State's Adoption Assistance Program. This measure would assist the Department of Human Services in their efforts to improve the child welfare system by assisting with family strengthening and the maintenance of a safe home environment for adopted children.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 398, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair