STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1820-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2090

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2090, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow licensed mental health counselors to be appointed as child custody evaluators.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the State faces significant challenges in providing timely and equitable child custody evaluations for families engaged in family court proceedings. Your Committee further finds that there is a high demand for child custody evaluations and a limited pool of qualified child custody evaluators, delaying critical decisions impacting children's health, safety, and well-being. Your Committee recognizes that licensed mental health counselors possess the necessary education, training, and expertise needed to serve as child custody evaluators but are currently not permitted to provide these services. Accordingly, this measure seeks to address the shortage of child custody evaluators by allowing mental health counselors to be appointed as child custody evaluators.

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. 2090, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair