Bill Text: HI SB2805 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Regulating Clean and Sober Homes and Halfway Houses; Task Force

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-12 - (S) Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [SB2805 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2805-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2276

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2805

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2805 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLEAN AND SOBER AND HALFWAY HOME REGULATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish licensing requirements for all clean and sober homes and halfway houses and to have the Department of Health establish rules and oversee them.

 

     Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Health; the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Hope, Help and Healing Kauai; Hina Mauka; Ka Hale Pomaika‘i; Aloha House, Inc.; Community Alliance on Prisons; Oxford House, Inc.; and one individual.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that clean and sober homes and halfway houses are an integral part to the success of those released from incarceration.  Assimilating back into society after such incarceration is difficult and it is important that these individuals get support when trying to maintain sobriety.  The homes are also essential to those battling substance abuse in the community and are in need of a structured living environment, but not requiring formal therapeutic living constraints.  Your Committee also finds that when people have stability while maintaining sobriety, they are more likely to maintain steady, gainful employment.  Jobs will also be created or maintained when these homes remain open and retain their staff, all of which assists in supporting the economy.  Your Committee further finds that although the intent of the measure may be important, the measure may violate Federal anti-discrimination and housing laws, and the requirement that the homes be licensed may create further problems with discriminatory practices.  Your Committee additionally finds that establishing licensing requirements may not be the most effective way to monitor these homes, and that a task force may be better suited to determine the most appropriate course of action.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has replaced the contents of the measure with language establishing a task force headed by the Department of Health and composed of various representatives with intimate knowledge of the inner workings of clean and sober and halfway homes.

 

     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. 2805, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2805, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

		____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair