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SB3272 • 2026

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.

Budget Children
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
SAN BUENAVENTURA, ELEFANTE, MCKELVEY
Last action
2026-02-18
Official status
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.

What This Bill Does

  • RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.
  • DHS; OWR; Child Welfare System; Diversion and Intervention; Pilot Program; Report; Appropriation ($) Requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Office of Wellness and Resilience, to design a 4-year Child Welfare System Diversion and Intervention Pilot Program to support families and children involved or at risk of involvement or reinvolvement with child welfare services.
  • Specifies that the Department of Human Services shall implement and administer the pilot program.
  • Allows the Department to contract with public and private entities to provide necessary services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-18 S

    Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM.

  2. 2026-02-18 S

    Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2342) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.

  3. 2026-02-13 S

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

  4. 2026-02-09 S

    The committee(s) on HHS has rescheduled its public hearing to 02-13-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

  5. 2026-02-08 S

    The committee(s) on HHS deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-09-26 1:05PM; CR 225 & Videoconference.

  6. 2026-02-05 S

    The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-09-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

  7. 2026-02-02 S

    Referred to HHS, WAM.

  8. 2026-01-30 S

    Passed First Reading.

  9. 2026-01-30 S

    Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES.
DHS; OWR; Child Welfare System; Diversion and Intervention; Pilot Program; Report; Appropriation ($)
Requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Office of Wellness and Resilience, to design a 4-year Child Welfare System Diversion and Intervention Pilot Program to support families and children involved or at risk of involvement or reinvolvement with child welfare services. Specifies that the Department of Human Services shall implement and administer the pilot program. Allows the Department to contract with public and private entities to provide necessary services. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB3272

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

3272

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that more initiatives must be established to address the
unmet needs of children and families in the State's child welfare system.

����
The legislature also finds that the malama
ohana working group was established within the office of wellness and
resilience to seek, design, and recommend transformative changes to the State's
existing child welfare system.
�
In a
report submitted to the 2025 legislature, the malama ohana working group
recommended establishing preventative programs and comprehensive services to
reduce the risk of families entering the child welfare system.

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The legislature recognizes that other
states have successfully reduced the number of families involved in child
welfare systems by implementing innovative programs that include assistance
with system navigation, financial assistance, and parenting classes and other
resources to strengthen families.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
require the department of human services to establish a five-year child welfare
system diversion and intervention pilot program to provide services for
families and children involved, or at risk of involvement or reinvolvement,
with child welfare services.

����
SECTION 2.
�

(a)
�
The department of human
services shall collaborate with the office of wellness and resilience to design
a child welfare system diversion and intervention pilot program.
�
The department of human services shall
implement and administer the pilot program.

����
(b)
�

The pilot program shall provide assistance and services for families and
children that are involved, or at risk of involvement or reinvolvement, with
child welfare services.
�
The assistance
and services shall include:

����
(1)
�
Financial
assistance and resources to help meet the families' food, clothing, hygiene,
housing, parenting, childcare, household, and transportation needs; and

����
(2)
�
A
trauma-informed intervention program to improve caregiver-child relationships
and parenting skills through teaching and coaching on positive communication,
child behavior management, and calming and emotional regulation strategies for
both the caregiver and child.

����
(c)
�

The department of human services, in collaboration with the office of
wellness and resilience, shall submit a report of the department's findings and
recommendations regarding the child welfare system diversion and intervention
pilot program, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later
than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2031.

����
(d)
�

The department of human services may contract with public and private
entities to design, implement, and administer the pilot program.

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(e)
�

The pilot program shall cease to exist July 1, 2031.

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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 2026-2027 to design, implement, and
administer a child welfare system diversion and intervention pilot program
pursuant to this Act, including contracting with public and private entities to
provide necessary services.

����
The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DHS; OWR;
Child Welfare System; Diversion and Intervention; Pilot Program; Report;
Appropriation

Description:

Requires
the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Office of Wellness
and Resilience, to design a 4-year Child Welfare System Diversion and
Intervention Pilot Program to support families and children involved or at risk
of involvement or reinvolvement with child welfare services.
�
Specifies that the Department of Human
Services shall implement and administer the pilot program.
�
Allows the Department to contract with public
and private entities to provide necessary services.
�
Requires a report to the Legislature.
�
Appropriates moneys.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.