STAND. COM. REP. NO.1083

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 1429

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1429, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A COMMISSION ON FATHERHOOD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Commission on Fatherhood within the Office of the Governor, to make recommendations and oversee policies for programs, services, and contracts that promote healthy family relationships and are family-friendly and inclusive.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Parents and Children Together; the Hawaii Coalition for Dads; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii; and one concerned citizen. The Department of the Attorney General submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that the Commission on Fatherhood will bring together Legislators, representatives of public and private agencies, and community members to strengthen, through collaboration, Hawaii's efforts to support fatherhood. Through the establishment of this Commission, Hawaii will join a growing national fatherhood movement and position itself to leverage Federal support for fatherhood initiatives proposed by President Bush.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Moving some of the language from the purpose section into a new "findings and purpose" section designated as §    -1 of the new chapter establishing a Commission on Fatherhood, and renumbering the sections of the new chapter accordingly;

(2) Providing that the Commission on Fatherhood shall be located within the Department of Health for administrative purposes, rather than the Governor's office;

(3) Deleting the representative from the Office of Children and Youth, as that office has been abolished, and making the total number of members fourteen, not fifteen; and

(4) Adding a section to clarify that meetings of the Commission are subject to Chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, otherwise known as the Sunshine Law.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1429, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1429, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair