Bill Text: HI SB1019 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Youth.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-03-21 - Report adopted. referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Belatti, Cabanilla Arakawa, Holt, Tokioka, Yamane excused (5). [SB1019 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-SB1019-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1019 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO YOUTH.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
PART I
SECTION 1. The National Center for Housing and Child Welfare reports that there are between one million and seven million homeless youth who have run away or have been asked to leave their homes. According to the National Runaway Switchboard, it is estimated that on any given night, there are approximately 1.3 million homeless youth living unsupervised on the streets, in abandoned buildings, with friends, or with strangers. Homeless youth lack parental, foster, or institutional care and are thus prone to be at a higher risk for physical abuse, sexual exploitation, mental health disabilities, substance abuse, and death.
The legislature finds that Hawaii is not immune to the seriousness and prevalence of youth homelessness. A 2016 National Conference of State Legislatures article, "Homeless and Runaway Youth," indicates that studies have shown that forty-six per cent of runaway and homeless youth reported being physically abused, thirty-eight per cent reported being emotionally abused, and seventeen per cent reported being forced into unwanted sexual activity by a family or household member. Furthermore, seventy-five per cent of homeless or runaway youth have dropped out or will drop out of school. The legislature recognizes the necessity of establishing safe places that offer shelter, programs, and support to at-risk youth.
The purpose of this part is to:
(1) Require the office of youth services to coordinate a three-year safe places for youth pilot program, which will coordinate a network of safe places that youth can access for safety and where youth can obtain advice, guidance, programs, and services; and
(2) Establish and appropriate funds for a safe places for youth pilot program coordinator position and residential options for the pilot program.
SECTION 2. (a) The office of youth services shall coordinate a three-year safe places for youth pilot program in partnership with private organizations. The primary objective of the pilot program shall be to coordinate a network of safe places that youth can access for safety and where they can obtain advice, guidance, programs, and services. All youth shall be eligible for services at the safe places. The requirements to consent to emergency shelter and related services, as set forth in section 346-17.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall apply to services provided under the safe places for youth pilot program.
(b) There is established the position of a safe places for youth pilot program coordinator. The coordinator shall:
(1) Coordinate the safe places for youth network;
(2) Partner with an entity to maintain an updated listing of safe places statewide;
(3) Provide ongoing training for organizations designated as safe places for youth, including training in emergency response and trauma;
(4) Partner with the department of education, state student council, peer education programs, private schools, and other youth services organizations to build awareness of the safe places for youth network; and
(5) Convene an annual meeting of safe places for youth organizations and other interested parties to identify emerging needs, provide feedback on program effectiveness, and provide an opportunity to recommend improvements to the pilot program.
(c) The safe places for youth pilot program shall provide access to and linkage with services and programs needed by youth, including:
(1) Domestic violence prevention or reduction;
(2) Violence and trauma recovery and support;
(3) Human trafficking resources and prevention;
(4) Suicide prevention;
(5) Resources targeted at teenagers, including teen pregnancy prevention;
(6) Tobacco cessation;
(7) Alcohol and substance abuse support;
(8) Assistance for youth to achieve their educational and vocational goals; and
(9) Other relationship-building and life skills.
(d) The office of youth services shall coordinate a comprehensive network of safe places for youth to assist youth in obtaining the advice and guidance they need.
(e) The office of youth services shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2021 and 2022. The reports shall include a recommendation on whether the pilot program should be continued, modified, or terminated.
(f) The safe places for youth pilot program shall cease to exist on June 30, 2022.
(g) For the purposes of this section:
"Safe places" means physical and virtual places of safety for youth.
"Youth" means any person less than eighteen years of age.
SECTION 3. 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 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) safe places for youth pilot program coordinator position and for residential options for the pilot program.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this part.
PART II
SECTION 4. The legislature finds that "status offenses", conduct that would not be crimes except if committed by a minor, such as truancy, are linked to a strong need for services to address a myriad of family and social causes in the young person's lives. The general response to status offenders is involvement with the criminal justice system, even though research has shown that incarceration and other forms of secure detention have a severe negative impact on youth and do not resolve the issues that led to the offense. Innovative programs have and continue to be developed to better address status offense conduct and divert youth from entering the criminal justice system.
The purpose of this part is to:
(1) Require the office of youth services to examine and report on options to reduce the use of status offense laws and increase the use of diversion programs and services for youth involved in status offense-type conduct; and
(2) Appropriate funds for the office of youth services to implement, through a contract with a community services provider, a status offense diversion program for three years.
SECTION 5. The office of youth services shall examine options to reduce the use of status offense laws and increase the use of diversion programs and services for youth involved in status offense-type conduct. The office of youth services shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2021 and 2022.
SECTION 6. 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 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the office of youth services to implement, through a contract with a community services provider, a status offense diversion program.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Keiki Caucus; Youth Services; Safe Places for Youth Pilot Program; Status Offense Diversion Program; Appropriation
Description:
Establishes and appropriate funds for a safe places for youth pilot program. Requires and appropriates funds for the office of youth services to reduce the use of status offense laws and implement a status offense diversion program.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
