STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2381

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2878

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2878 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH TRANSITIONING FROM FOSTER CARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Extend the deadline for former foster youth to apply for financial assistance for higher education costs;

 

     (2)  Clarify that financial assistance available to former foster youth is for related higher education costs and not specifically limited to room and board costs; and

 

     (3)  Clarify eligibility and program requirements for the ongoing implementation of the young adult voluntary foster care program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Effective Planning and Innovative Communication Ohana, Inc.; Family Programs Hawaii; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Hawaii Helping Our People Envision Success; and eleven individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that improving the transition of foster youth and former foster youth to the challenges of adulthood requires a supportive safety net and system that include an opportunity for higher education.  Extending the deadline to apply for financial assistance for higher education costs from age twenty-two to twenty-six allows foster youth and former foster youth more time to access higher education.  The young adult voluntary foster care program also assists with the transition to adulthood.  Allowing the financial assistance to cover related costs of higher education and not just room and board give the foster youth and former foster youth more flexibility in pursuit of higher education.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2878, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2878, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair