Bill Text: HI SB809 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Homelessness; Children
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB809 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-SB809-Amended.html
Report Title:
Homelessness; Children
Description:
Establishes a task force to coordinate and develop resources for homeless children; provides appropriations for the kokua na keiki special fund and an administrative grant program under the department of human services from available federal moneys. (SD1)
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
809 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO CHILDREN.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that children, particularly young children, are the most vulnerable during, and at times victimized by, homelessness. While many children develop some resiliency to their situation and are able to overcome the ravages of homelessness, homelessness often leads to poor health, exposure to violence, poor academic performance, and a lack of positive social interactions.
The purpose of this Act is to minimize the adverse effects of homelessness on children by establishing a task force to coordinate resources to benefit children who are homeless.
SECTION 2. (a) There is established a task force to coordinate public and private resources to benefit homeless children.
(b) The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall convene the task force. The task force shall:
(1) Be co-chaired by the chairs of the standing committees of the senate and house of representatives having primary oversight of issues concerning the homeless; and
(2) Include:
(A) The superintendent of education or the superintendent's designee;
(B) The director of health or the director's designee;
(C) The director of human services or the director's designee;
(D) Four members representing the four counties, with one member appointed by the mayor of each county;
(E) Four members representing not-for-profit organizations that serve Hawaii's homeless families, two appointed by the president of the senate and two appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(F) The chairs of the standing committees of the senate and house of representatives having primary oversight of issues concerning lower education;
(G) The chairs of the standing committees of the senate and house of representatives having primary oversight of issues concerning health;
(H) The executive director of the office of youth services or the executive director's designee;
(I) Two individuals who are homeless, one appointed by the president of the senate and one appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(J) A member representing organizations that provide shelter, street outreach, or transitional living services to runaway, homeless, and street youth; and
(K) And a member from the leeward native Hawaiian community.
(c) The task force shall establish findings and develop recommendations on how the State can coordinate public and private resources to benefit homeless children.
(d) The task force shall submit an interim report, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session of 2010, 2011, and 2012, and shall submit a final report, including its findings and recommendations and any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2013.
(e) The task force shall terminate on June 30, 2013.
SECTION 3. (a) There is established within the state treasury the kokua na keiki special fund to be administered and expended by the department of human services, and into which shall be deposited:
(1) Appropriations made by the legislature; and
(2) Any contributions by private entities.
(b) The moneys in the special fund shall be used by the department of human services to:
(1) Establish and fill a homelessness coordinator position; and
(2) Establish and fill one support staff position to assist the homelessness coordinator.
(c) The moneys in the special fund may also be used by the department of human services to provide grants for innovative programs that benefit homeless children or that help coordinate services for the benefit of homeless children.
(d) Applications for grants shall be made to the department of human services and contain:
(1) The name of the requesting organization or individual;
(2) The purpose for the grant;
(3) The service to be supported by the grant;
(4) The target group to be benefited;
(5) The cost of the grant; and
(6) A statement that the grant shall be used for activities that are consistent with the purposes of this Act.
(e) A grant shall be awarded only if:
(1) The applicant has applied for or received all applicable licenses and permits that are required to conduct the activities or provide the services for which a grant is awarded;
(2) The applicant agrees to comply with applicable federal, state, and county laws;
(3) The grant shall not be used for purposes of entertainment or perquisites; and
(4) The applicant shall indemnify and hold harmless the department of human services, the State, its officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims arising out of or resulting from activities carried out or projects undertaken with funds provided hereunder, and procure sufficient insurance to provide this indemnification if requested to do so by the department of human services.
(f) To receive a grant, an applicant shall:
(1) Agree to make available to the department of human services all records the applicant may have relating to the operation of the applicant's activity, business, or enterprise, to allow the department of human services to monitor the applicant's compliance with the purpose of this Act; and
(2) Establish, to the satisfaction of the department of human services, that sufficient funds are available for the effective operation of the activity, business, or enterprise for the purpose for which the grant is awarded.
(g) Every grant shall be:
(1) Monitored by the department of human services to ensure compliance with this Act and the purposes and intent of the grant; and
(2) Evaluated annually to determine whether the grant attained the intended results in the manner contemplated.
(h) Grants made by the department of human services under this Act may be made without regard to chapters 103D and 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of available and appropriate federal funds the sum of $ for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum for fiscal year 2010-2011 to be deposited into the kokua na keiki special fund; provided that this section shall only take effect upon a determination by the department of human services that federal funds that may be appropriately expended for the purposes of this Act are available.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the kokua na keiki special fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for the purposes described in section 3; provided that this section shall only take effect upon a determination by the department of human services that federal funds that may be appropriately expended for the purposes of this Act are available.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that sections 2 and 3 shall be repealed on June 30, 2013; and provided further that sections 4 and 5 shall take effect on July 1, 2009.
