STAND. COM. REP. NO. 403

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 401
                                     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. 401 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase the self-reliance of
homeless individuals by appropriating funds for homeless shelters
and homeless services, including per person stipends paid to
homeless shelters.

     The Democratic Party of Hawaii, the Affordable Housing and
Homeless Alliance, the Institute for Human Services, the Health
Care for the Homeless Project, and Homeless Solutions submitted
testimony in support of this measure.  The Housing and Community
Development Corporation of Hawaii submitted testimony in support
of intent of this bill, but could not support the appropriation
since it is not consistent with the State's Executive Budget
request.

     Your Committee finds that due to administrative cuts,
funding for the homeless has decreased while the demands for
programs and services to assist this population has increased
beyond the existing capacity.  Increased funding for homeless
shelters and services are sorely needed.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 403
                                 Page 2

 
     (1)  Replacing the appropriation with $1 for purposes of
          further discussion; and

     (2)  Noting in the purpose and findings section the current
          numbers of homeless persons as well as statistics of
          families and individuals with mental illnesses.

     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. 401, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 401, H.D.
1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair