CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 63

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 951

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 951, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require mandatory reports of child abuse or neglect to include the military status of the child's parent or guardian, if known; and

(2) Require the Department of Human Services to inform the appropriate authority of the United States military when, upon receiving a report of child abuse or neglect, there is sufficient information to determine that the report involves a family where one of the parents, guardians, or alleged perpetrators is a member of an identifiable branch of the United States military.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the United States Department of Defense's (DoD) Family Advocacy Program (FAP) is a congressionally mandated program designated to address child abuse and neglect, among other issues affecting children and youth in military families. Your Committee on Conference further finds that federal law also requires all DoD personnel to report any suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to military officials and FAP personnel, and to local authorities and child welfare services offices. However, there is no corresponding requirement for state and local welfare services offices to inform military officials of allegations of child abuse or neglect. With many active-duty military families living in communities located outside of military installations, combined with their frequent relocations, incidences of child abuse or neglect may remain unknown to the military. Therefore, this measure codifies a reciprocal state reporting requirement to notify military officials of allegations of child abuse and neglect to the State to facilitate better coordination of available state child welfare services and military preventative and rehabilitative services to ensure that military children and families receive the necessary support and services.

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 951, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 951, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ LISA MARTEN Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair
____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair	____________________________ BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE Co-Chair
____________________________ MAHINA POEPOE Co-Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair