STAND. COM. REP. NO. 259

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1137

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1137 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SPOUSE AND CHILD ABUSE SPECIAL FUND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to maintain funding for the Spouse and Child Abuse Special Fund, thereby securing a stable source of funding for neglect, prevention, intervention, and other services. by retaining all unencumbered and unexpended moneys, including Family First and title IV-E federal reimbursements received in the fiscal year following the year in which the funds were expended.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Domestic Violence Action Center, and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that there is a need to secure funding for spouse and child abuse in Hawaii.  The Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018, Public Law 115-123, adds a mechanism for states to claim reimbursement through Title IV-E of the Social Security Act for a percentage of state funds spent on certain child abuse and neglect prevention services.  Your Committee further finds the Department of Human Services submitted its Family First Hawaii Plan for federal review at the end of December 2020 and is awaiting its approval.  Your Committee also finds that once the plan is approved and implemented, the Department of Human Services will be able to begin drawing down additional federal reimbursement funds for certain prevention services under the Family First Hawaii program.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that this measure will provide a means to retain necessary funding for the Spouse and Child Special Fund.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Making it effective upon its approval; 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 Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1137, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1137, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair