Bill Text: HI SB186 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Foster Care Services; Monthly Board Rate; Increase

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB186 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB186-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1163

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   S.B. No. 186

      S.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 186, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FOSTER CARE SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to more effectively support those who care for foster children by increasing the monthly board rate paid to foster boarding home parents, group homes, and child caring institutions by the Department of Human Services (DHS).

 

     This bill appropriates general revenues to fund this increase and requires DHS to submit an initial status report to the 2010 Legislature and a final report, to the 2011 Legislature including annual implementation costs, anticipated future costs, and the number of foster children affected.

 

     The Hawaii Youth Services Network, It Takes an Ohana, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  DHS opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee understands concerns raised by DHS that increasing the monthly board rate by just $100 per month would cost the State approximately $19 million for the biennium.  In addition, your Committee acknowledges that DHS would prefer to address this issue within the department, through a change in the administrative process rather than through legislation.

 

 

     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. 186, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair