STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2817

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2906

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2906 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE GOVERNOR'S COORDINATOR ON HOMELESSNESS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure accountability and coordination between the various departments and agencies tasked with reducing homelessness.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes in statute the position of the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness;

 

     (2)  Provides that the position shall report directly to the Governor; and

 

     (3)  Makes an appropriation to fund the position and other expenses, including the hiring of necessary staff.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Transportation; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawaii; and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that although the Governor has appointed a coordinator on homelessness to coordinate statewide homelessness efforts since 2011, the position and its duties have not been established in state law.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the amount appropriated to the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness from $400,000 to an unspecified sum;

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2906, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2906, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair