Hawaii-2018-HB2586-Amended

SECTION 1. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Part . Hawaii legal aid interagency roundtable

§346- Establishment; definitions. There is established the Hawaii legal aid interagency roundtable. For the purposes of this chapter:

"Government agency" means any department, commission, authority, office, or other agency of the State or any county.

"Roundtable" means the Hawaii legal aid interagency roundtable.

§346- Membership. (a) The attorney general and the director of human services, or their designees, shall serve as co-chairs of the roundtable, which shall also be composed of representatives from the following government agencies:

(1) The department of health;

(2) The executive office on aging;

(3) The department of commerce and consumer affairs;

(4) The department of labor and industrial relations;

(5) The office of community services;

(6) The Hawaii public housing authority;

(7) The civil rights commission;

(8) The office of Hawaiian affairs;

(9) The department of Hawaiian home lands;

(10) The department of public safety; and

(11) Any other government agency the co-chairs may, from time to time, designate.

(b) The co-chairs may invite the participation of the judiciary, access to justice commission, and Hawaii consortium of legal service providers to the extent consistent with law and legal obligations.

§346- Mission and function. (a) The roundtable shall work across government agencies to:

(1) Improve coordination among state programs that help low-income, indigent, vulnerable, and at-risk populations, and include, where appropriate, legal services among the range of supportive services provided by the state programs, so that those programs are more efficient and produce better outcomes;

(2) Increase the availability of meaningful access to justice for individuals and families, regardless of wealth or status;

(3) Develop policy recommendations that improve access to justice in state and local jurisdictions;

(4) Implement goal sixteen of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to promote just, peaceful, and inclusive societies that provide access to justice for all and build effective and accountable institutions at all levels;

(5) Advance relevant evidence-based research, data collection, and analysis of civil legal aid and indigent defense, and promulgate best practices to support the activities detailed in paragraphs (1) to (4); and

(6) On an ongoing basis, evaluate:

(A) How providing low-income, indigent, vulnerable, and at-risk populations with access to civil legal services may serve or further the missions, responsibilities, and goals of government agencies; and

(B) The use or potential use of federal grant money received by government agencies for the purposes described in subparagraph (A).

(b) The roundtable shall submit an annual report to the governor and the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session on its success in achieving its mission, and shall include:

(1) Data from participating members on the deployment of state and other governmental resources that foster the roundtable's mission;

(2) A summary of the evaluation required under paragraph (6), including the amount of money spent, if any, by government agencies to facilitate access to civil legal services; and

(3) Policy recommendations to facilitate access to civil legal services.

(c) The roundtable shall submit a report to the governor and the legislature on the economic impact of funding access to civil legal services no later than January 1, 2020.

§346- Administration. (a) The roundtable shall hold meetings at least three times a year and engage with federal, state, and local officials, technical advisors, and nongovernmental organizations, among others, as necessary to carry out its mission.

(b) The attorney general and director of human services, or their designees, shall convene regular meetings of the roundtable and supervise its work. The department of human services' staff shall serve as the staff of the roundtable.

(c) The department of human services shall, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, provide administrative services, funds, facilities, staff, equipment, and other support services as may be necessary for the roundtable to carry out its mission."

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the Hawaii legal aid interagency roundtable.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2586
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII