STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1224-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2878

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2878, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH TRANSITIONING FROM FOSTER CARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Clarify the payment framework and duration of higher education stipends;

 

     (2)  Afford former foster youth a longer timeline to access higher education by extending from age 22 to age 26 the age limit applicable to former foster youth who are applying for a higher education stipend;

 

     (3)  Specify that financial assistance available to Hawaii's former foster youth encompasses all related higher education costs, rather than just room and board costs;

 

     (4)  Clarify that the higher education stipend amount is based on the financial support the Department of Human Services (DHS) provides in accordance with rules adopted by DHS;

 

     (5)  Clarify the eligibility and program requirements of the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program; and

     (6)  Repeal the requirement that DHS must submit an annual report to the Legislature on information regarding the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program.

 

     DHS; Judiciary; Family Programs Hawaii; Hawaii Youth Services Network; EPIC Ohana, Inc.; and many individuals supported this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that DHS and a young adult who chooses to participate in the Young Adult Voluntary Foster Care Program shall enter into a voluntary care agreement requiring the young adult to meet all the requirements of the Program for the duration of the agreement; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 2878, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2878, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair