STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3556

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2647

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2647, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a Work for a Day Pilot Program to be administered by the City and County of Honolulu that provides homeless individuals with work opportunities.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii and three individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Coordinator on Homelessness under the Office of the Governor.

 

     Your Committees find that there are programs being introduced throughout the United States that help homeless individuals find work and afford shelter.  A pilot program was launched in New Mexico to assist individuals in leaving the streets and connecting them with work.  The pilot program is proving to be a success and is receiving national attention.  A similar pilot program was introduced in Arizona to assist homeless individuals attain temporary jobs.  Implementation of this measure will establish a local pilot program on Oahu that is similar to the programs in New Mexico and Arizona, and reduce the significant barriers that homeless individuals encounter in seeking employment.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language designating the appropriation for fiscal year 2016-2017;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that no funds may be expended unless matched dollar-for-dollar by the city and county of Honolulu, rather than limiting the dollar-for-dollar match to the second and third years of the pilot program; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2647, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2647, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

 

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair