STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2790

 

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 Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2878, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to promote the welfare of foster youth and former foster youth.

 

     More specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Extends the deadline for former foster youth to apply for financial assistance for higher education costs from age twenty-two to age twenty-six;

 

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

 

     (3)  Clarifies eligibility and program requirements for the ongoing implementation of the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program; and

 

     (4)  Repeals existing statutory language that requires the Department of Human Services to submit annual reports to the Legislature regarding the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program.

 

     Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Family Programs Hawaii, Hale Kipa, EPIC Ohana, Inc., and thirteen individuals.

 

     Readiness for higher education may come at a later time than twenty-two years of age for many former foster youth.  Your Committees find that the change in application time provided in this measure will increase the access to education for those individuals.  Your Committees also find that the changes to the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program in this measure will provide needed clarification and greater consistency regarding eligibility for program services for former foster youth.

 

     Your Committees note that the Department of Human Services has indicated that this measure's extension of the application deadline for higher education assistance will not increase costs, because youth may use federal funds for higher education from the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program from ages eighteen to twenty-one years, while youth may use the higher education stipends cover from ages twenty-two to twenty-six years.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2878, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor,

 

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair