Bill Text: HI HB456 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Youth.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [HB456 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB456-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
456 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
H.D. 1 |
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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:
SECTION 1.
The legislature finds that the overrepresentation of youth from the
Native Hawaiian community, Pacific Islander communities, and communities of
color across Hawaii's criminal justice system reflects intergenerational
trauma, cultural dislocation, and risk factors associated with poverty.
The legislature also finds that adolescence
is a period of risk-taking and experimentation, in which youth of all cultural
backgrounds explore their place in society.
The decisions made in this period of life have long-term implications
for the health of individuals and the community. Risky behavior by youth from at-risk
communities have particularly dangerous consequences, including a higher risk
of mortality, poverty, chronic health issues, and suicide. These behaviors may also lead to
incarceration and continued cycles of trauma.
Youth from all communities deserve a stable
and well‑rounded upbringing. Best
practices regarding youth from underserved communities who face negative risk
factors and adverse childhood experiences suggest that culturally focused
solutions have positive results.
Longitudinal studies of youth from across the world that study
resilience note the importance of healthy relationships and healthy experiences
through the tumultuous years of adolescence.
The legislature also finds that numerous
programs across the State that offer mentorship, sports, after-school
programing, counseling, and friendship have made an impact in the lives of
hundreds of children over decades of service.
These programs have been adversely affected by the coronavirus disease
2019 pandemic. In addition, the
privatization of many extracurricular activities has left many underserved
youth without avenues to explore their roles in the community.
The legislature believes that youth deserve
investment in both time and resources.
The legislature also believes that investment in the activities of youth
from the Native Hawaiian community, Pacific Islander communities, and
communities of color, who are overrepresented in Hawaii's criminal justice
system, is a matter of statewide concern.
The purpose of this Act is to increase
funding to services and programs that support youth by establishing a grant
program within the office of youth services, which is intended to decrease the
overrepresentation of youth from the Native Hawaiian community, Pacific
Islander communities, and communities of color across Hawaii's criminal justice
system and address intergenerational trauma, cultural dislocation, and risk
factors associated with poverty.
SECTION 2. Chapter 352D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§352D- Programs
and entities supporting at-risk youth; grants. (a) The office shall administer a grant program,
which shall provide grants to qualified programs and entities that support the
State's youth; provided that the office shall give priority to programs that:
(1) Support youth
from ethnic groups that:
(A) Are
disproportionately represented in the Hawaii youth correctional facility, the
State's overall prison or jail population, or the State's correctional system
in general; or
(B) As
shown by statistics, are at a disproportionately higher risk of mortality,
poverty, chronic health issues, suicide, or other risk factors;
(2) Address
the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences;
(3) Support
rehabilitation as an alternative to incarceration for youth offenders; or
(4) Meet community
needs identified pursuant to needs assessments or the community consultation
described in subsection (c).
(b) In addition to the criteria established in
subsection (a), the office shall also give priority to programs that
obtain matching funds from non-state sources.
(c)
Before awarding any grants pursuant to this section, the office shall
solicit input from community partners to identify priorities and unmet
needs. The office shall periodically
solicit input to update the grant program's priorities.
(d) Subject to the availability of funds, grants
may be:
(1) Awarded for a multi-year
period, up to a maximum of five years; or
(2) If awarded on
an annual basis, may be renewed annually up to a maximum of five years at the
discretion of the executive director.
(1) The name of the program or entity
requesting grant funds;
(2) The expenses that are necessary for
the program or entity to provide the service; and
(3) The population the program or entity
serves.
(f) Each applicant for a grant shall provide
proof that the applicant:
(1) Has United States citizenship or
permanent United States resident alien status and is a resident of the State at
the time of application;
(2) Is currently licensed or registered
as a program or entity, or is an exempt provider approved by the department;
(3) Provides the activities at the time
of application;
(4) Complies with all other federal,
state, or county statutes, rules, or ordinances necessary to conduct the
activities or provide the services for which a grant is awarded;
(5) Complies with all applicable federal
and state laws prohibiting discrimination against a person on the basis of
race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, or
disability;
(6) Agrees not to use state funds for
entertainment or lobbying activities;
(7) Allows the office, legislative
committees and their staff, and the auditor full access to the applicant's
records, reports, files, and other related documents and information for the
purposes of monitoring, measuring the effectiveness of, and ensuring the proper
expenditure of the grant;
(8) Is not a part of, owned or operated
by, or owned or operated as a private educational institution;
(9) Satisfies any other standards that
may be required by the source of funding; and
(10) Meets all other standards prescribed
in rules adopted by the office to implement the grants awarded under this
section.
(g) Every program or entity who, after meeting
the requirements of subsection (f), receives grant funds from the department
shall be required to provide the activity or services for
.
(h) Every request for grant funds shall be
submitted to the office on an application form provided by the office and shall
at a minimum contain the information required by subsection (f). The office shall review each request to
determine whether the applicant is eligible to receive grants funds and shall
make a final decision on each request.
The office shall inform each grant applicant of the disposition of the
applicant's request. The office shall
adopt rules to establish an appeals process for any denial of a request.
(i) The office shall not release the public funds
approved for a grant under this section unless a contract is entered into
between the office and the grant recipient.
The office shall develop and determine, in consultation with and subject
to review and approval of the department of the attorney general, the specific
contract form to be used.
(j) Appropriations for grants made under this
section shall be subject to the allotment system generally applicable to all
appropriations made by the legislature.
(k) Every grant contract executed pursuant to
this section shall be monitored by the office to ensure compliance with this
section and shall be evaluated annually to determine whether the grant attained
the intended results in the manner contemplated.
(l) Any grant recipient who withholds or omits
any material fact or deliberately misrepresents facts to the office shall be in
violation of this section and, in addition to other penalties provided by law,
any recipient found to have violated this section or the terms of any contract
executed pursuant to this section shall be prohibited from applying for any office
grants for a period of five years from the date of termination.
(m)
The office shall include information on the grant program in its annual
report to the governor and the legislature submitted pursuant to section
352D-6(11), including a summary of the priorities identified pursuant to
subsections (a), (b), and (c), a listing of grants awarded, and the programs
supported by the grants.
(n) The office shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to carry out the purposes of this section.
(o) For the purposes of this section:
"Grant"
means an award of state funds to a specified recipient to support the
activities of the recipient and permit the community to benefit from those
activities.
"Private
educational institution" means a non-public entity that provides:
(1) Educational services for any grades
from kindergarten through grade twelve;
(2) Post-secondary education; or
(3) Pre-kindergarten level services,
that are
provided by an entity that holds itself out to the public as a school or
educational institution, or that are identified by the entity as educational
services rather than solely as child care services.
"Recipient" means a program or entity receiving a grant."
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 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to establish a grant program within the office of youth services.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of youth services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000.
Report Title:
Office of Youth Services; At-risk Youth Grant Program; Appropriations
Description:
Establishes the at-risk youth grant program within the office of youth services. Gives priority to programs that support youth from ethnic groups that are disproportionately represented in the State's correctional system, support rehabilitation, or meet needs identified by the office of youth services in consultation with the community. Appropriates funds. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
