SB 710 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE.

Summary

Establishes the Child Welfare Task Force to develop strategies and policy changes to transform and improve the State's child welfare system. Requires support from the Department of Human Services. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Feb 14, 2025

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What changed between versions

SB710 → SB710_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill establishes a Child Welfare Task Force to improve Hawaii's child welfare system following audit findings and recommendations from the Malama Ohana Working Group. The task force will include key state officials and working group members, with the Executive Director of the Office of Wellness and Resilience serving as chairperson. The bill appropriates unspecified funding for the task force's operations and requires a report to the legislature before the 2026 regular session.

Scope change

The task force composition was modified to place the Executive Director of the Office of Wellness and Resilience as chairperson, with the Attorney General and other officials as members, replacing the previous structure that included committee chairs as co-chairs.

REQUIREMENT

Task force chairperson changed from Senate committee chair to Executive Director of the Office of Wellness and Resilience

Malama Ohana Working Group members to be invited by the chairperson rather than automatic members

Removed requirement for Senate and House committee chairs to serve as co-chairs

TIMELINE

Effective date changed from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2050

FISCAL

Appropriation amount changed from $300,000 to unspecified amount

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 626) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-25 1:20PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to HHS, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

9 primary · 0 co-sponsors