STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2250

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 2572

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2572 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGGRAVATED CIRCUMSTANCES IN CHILD PROTECTIVE PROCEEDINGS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Expand the authority of the family court in child protective proceedings to find that aggravated circumstances are present at any stage prior to the termination of parental rights, not only at the outset of the case or the return hearing; and

 

     (2)  Specify what acts of torture against a child constitute aggravated circumstances.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary and Hawaii State Chapter of Children's Justice Centers.

 

     Your Committee finds that if "aggravated circumstances", as defined under section 587A-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are present in a child protective proceeding it allows the proceeding to advance to permanent planning and a termination of parental rights hearing on an expedited basis.  However, your Committee further finds that existing law only allows the family court to make a finding that aggravated circumstances are present at the return hearing, which occurs at the outset of the case.  This measure provides additional opportunity to request an evidentiary hearing to determine whether aggravated circumstances existed at any time prior to the termination of parental rights.

 

     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 S.B. No. 2572 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair