STAND. COM. REP. NO. 286

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 436

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Housing and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 436 entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for establishing three specialty shelters to temporarily house and serve homeless individuals.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaii Pacific Health, IMUAlliance, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of the Governor and Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committees find that the need for specialty shelters has grown as the number of homeless persons in the State has increased.  Homeless persons have few options to receive vital services such as home care, mental health stabilization, and recovery environments for substance use disorders once they leave an acute treatment environment.  Specialty shelters can assist homeless persons with access to services and housing assistance.  This measure will provide monies for additional specialty shelters.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 436 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

________________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair

 

________________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair