STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2371

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2677

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2677 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to specify that the family court has jurisdiction in proceedings concerning the custody or guardianship of an immigrant child pursuant to a motion for Special Immigrant Juvenile factual findings requesting a determination that the child was abused, neglected, or abandoned before the age of eighteen.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary; Department of Human Services; Cades Schutte, LLLP; Filipina Advocacy Network; Pono Hawaii Initiative; The Legal Clinic Hawaii; and nine individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that federal law provides protections to individuals classified as special immigrant juveniles.  Your Committee further finds that, consistent with the actions of other states, the State may assist individuals in claiming special immigrant juvenile status by clarifying that family court has jurisdiction over unmarried individuals under twenty‑one years of age for purposes of awarding custody or guardianship pursuant to a motion for factual findings within the meaning of the Immigration and Nationalization Act, Title 8 United States Code section 1101(a)(27)(J).

 

     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. 2677 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

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RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair