STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1264

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 225

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 225, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to grant the Department of Human Services flexibility in developing a comprehensive child welfare information system, as required by Act 317, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the information technology system currently utilized by the Department of Human Services' Child Welfare Services Branch is outdated, time-consuming to use, and inaccessible to many partner agencies. The Department has begun to plan for the retirement of this existing system and development of an improved system. To ensure the Department procures a high-quality, cost-effective information technology system, this measure allows the Department to contract with multiple software providers and grants the Department more time to expend previously appropriated state funds.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 225, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 225, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair