STAND. COM. REP. NO.  175

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 535

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 535 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESS PROGRAMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services (DHS), in consultation with the mayors of the applicable counties and public or private homeless assistance programs, to designate in each county, temporary nighttime parking lots to provide safe overnight parking for homeless individuals who live and sleep in their motor vehicles and would otherwise park overnight on public or private roads or property.

 

     An individual testified in support of this measure.  The State Homeless Coordinator opposed this measure.  The Department of Human Services and several individuals commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee would like to note that the provision in the measure regarding the adoption of rules facilitating outreach, job counseling, and health care services to homeless individuals at temporary nighttime parking lots, was inadvertently retained.  Should the Committee on Judiciary consider this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that the above-mentioned provision be deleted.


     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Authorizing, rather than requiring, DHS, in consultation with the mayor of the applicable county and any interested public or private homeless assistance programs, to designate temporary nighttime parking lots;

 

(2)  Appropriating $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2013-2014 for the designation of temporary nighttime parking lots; and

 

(3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 535, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 535, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair