STAND. COM. REP. NO. 25

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1115
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred H.B. No. 1115 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER BOARDING HOMES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to lessen the trauma of foster
placement by allowing foster homes to care for more than five
children to accommodate sibling groups.  This bill also changes
criminal history checks for foster homes from annually to
biennially.

     The Department of Human Services (DHS) submitted testimony
in support of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that foster homes are currently
certified to foster up to five children.  However, some sibling
groups have had to be separated in foster placement as a result
of this limitation which has been very traumatic for affected
children.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that an annual name inquiry into the state
          criminal history record files shall be made in
          conjunction with the certification schedule; and

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

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 25
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 1115, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1115, H.D.
1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and
Commerce.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair