STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1205

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.R. No. 46

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred S.R. No. 46 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE A MINOR PARENT OR PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN RECEIVE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Human Services to provide information on the number of instances where a minor parent or parents and the children of the minor parents receive public assistance.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Youth Services Network.

 

     Your Committee finds that the family of a minor parent plays an important role in the welfare of the minor parent and the children of the minor parent by holding the minor parent accountable for child rearing and teaching the minor parent appropriate parenting skills.  Family members can also help by encouraging the minor parent to complete high school and pursue higher education, to participate in job training and employment, and to enroll the children of the minor parent in early childhood education programs.  Your Committee further finds that holding the parents of a minor parent financially responsible for the minor parent and the child of the minor parent will reduce the minor parent's dependency on public assistance.  Your Committee notes that thirteen states have established grandparent liability for child support.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 46 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair