STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1645

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 282

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 282, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MINORS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to expand the circumstances where a minor may consent to no cost emergency shelter and related services to include cases where the provider is coordinating with child welfare services.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness; Hawaii State AFL-CIO; LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Rainbow Family 808; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Partners in Care, Oahu's Continuum of Care; Pride at Work – Hawaii; Catholic Charities Hawaii; and five individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that youth experiencing homelessness in the State is a growing issue that needs to be addressed separately from adult and family homelessness.  Your Committee further finds that programs that provide services to youths can currently only provide shelter to those eighteen years of age and older.  Your Committee additionally finds that there is also a population of unaccompanied youth who avoid shelter services for fear of being placed into the foster care system or into a placement that they do not want to be in.  As a result, homeless youth are left without a safe space to sleep at night and many often partner with older adults and end up in unlawful, exploitive situations.  This measure seeks to increase access to emergency shelter for homeless youth by expanding the circumstances under which a minor may consent to no cost emergency shelter.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Expanding the sunset date to apply to the entire measure; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 282, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 282, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair