STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1639

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1356

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1356, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION BOARD ALLOWANCE FOR FORMER FOSTER YOUTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to support former foster youths.

     Specifically, the measure increases the age up to which a former foster youth can apply for board allowance while pursuing higher education from twenty-one to twenty-six and establishes that the maximum duration of board allowance is sixty months.

     The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, the Hawaii Family Forum & the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii, and the Hawaii Youth Services Network submitted comments in support of the measure.  The Department of Human Services submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that this measure improves education prospects of former foster youths.  Under current law, there is only a short timeframe during which a former foster youth can apply for certain benefits and often, the former foster youths are not aware of becoming eligible for these benefits upon reaching majority.

     Your Committee finds that increasing the age of eligibility of former foster youths to apply for board allowance and consequently to lengthen the timeframe during which they can apply for this benefit provides the former foster youths with an opportunity to pursue higher education and to become a well- educated adult.

     Your Committee amended the measure by making a technical nonsubstantive amendment to comply with Ramseyer formatting conventions.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1356, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1356, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair