STAND. COM. REP. NO. 344

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 470

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 Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 470 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MINORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make permanent the definition of "provider" as it relates to entities eligible to provide no cost emergency shelter and related services to consenting minors, as amended by Act 23, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Rainbow Family 808, Opportunity Youth Action Hawai‘i, Residential Youth Services & Empowerment, Hawai‘i Youth Services Network, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Office of Youth Services.

Your Committee finds that youth experiencing homelessness often have exposure to a variety of adverse childhood experiences, including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or have become homeless because of physical abuse or parental substance abuse.

Your Committee further finds that Act 23, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021 (Act 23), created a mechanism to shelter unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, without the need to obtain consent from a parent or guardian. This ability to receive short-term no cost housing and other services is especially important for youth who have suffered abuse at the hands of family members. Act 23 is currently scheduled to sunset on June 30, 2023. This measure repeals the sunset date of Act 23, which will ensure that vulnerable youth experiencing homelessness continue to have safe and secure refuges to stabilize, heal, and access resources.

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider adopting amendments to clarify that youths who are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice or child welfare systems obtain and receive services from these systems until such time as they are released from these systems, as is required by the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. Your Committee further requests your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs to consider whether there is a means to remove the limit on the number of youths served by these providers in a manner that will not endanger the receipt of any federal funds.

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 H.B. No. 470, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 470, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair