STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1413

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 938

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 938, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit a child's family, who believes that a child was wrongfully removed from the family home, to request a Child Protective Review Panel for the purpose of conducting a review of the child protective proceedings that lead to the removal of the child.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by Parents for Righteousness and one individual. The Department of Human Services testified in opposition to the measure.

This measure establishes a review process, using the Child Protective Review Panel, to address concerns in the community with respect to the authority of the Department of Human Services to remove children from abusive homes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making the effective date defective in order to promote continuing discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 938, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 938, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair