STAND. COM. REP. NO.3421

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.C.R. No. 134

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 134 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE GOVERNOR TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS THE CONTINUAL NEED AND UNMET DEMAND FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND SOCIAL WELFARE FACILITIES ON OAHU,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Governor to convene a task force to address the continual need and unmet demand for transitional housing and social welfare facilities on Oahu.

Your Committee finds that the State is in dire need of more transitional housing for the homeless, especially in light of the hundreds of families recently cut from the welfare rolls and the lingering post-September 11 downturn in the economy. Your Committee also finds that the situation is further exacerbated by the lack of a coordinated and comprehensive plan to address the homeless problem in the State.

This Concurrent Resolution is a necessary step toward the development of a transitional housing plan formulated by all levels of government to ultimately provide more facilities and better services for the homeless.

Your Committee has amended the Concurrent Resolution to reflect the statewide nature of the homeless problem. Therefore the scope of the Concurrent Resolution has been expanded beyond Oahu to include the entire State.

Finally, your Committee requests that the subject matter committee Chair or Chairs hold an informational briefing after the Task Force's report is submitted to the Legislature. Your Committee is concerned that studies and audits are often reported but follow-up discussion is lacking on the study's issues, findings, and recommendations. Your Committee finds that issues related to this Concurrent Resolution can be fully discussed and understood if subject matter Chairs hold informational briefings.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 134, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 134, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair