STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1792

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 129

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 129, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MINORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require providers of no cost emergency shelter and related services to:

(A) Take steps to ensure pertinent minors obtain and receive services from the juvenile justice or child welfare systems, as required by the federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Act; and

(B) Maintain separation for unrelated adults and minor children; and

(2) 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 Opportunity Youth Action Hawai‘i and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Residential Youth Services & Empowerment.

Your Committee finds that minors experiencing housing instability and homelessness need safe places to seek shelter and receive assistance. To address this, the Legislature enacted Act 23, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021 (Act 23), which established a means to provide shelter to unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness without the need to obtain consent from a parent or guardian. Your Committee notes that despite the importance and success of Act 23, it is set to sunset on June 30, 2023. This measure will ensure youth experiencing homelessness will continue to have the safe and secure shelter needed to stabilize, heal, and access resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 129, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 129, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair