SB 1098: RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to homeless youth.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that one in ten young adults who are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five years, and at least one in thirty adolescents between the ages of thirteen and seventeen, experience some form of homelessness in which the young adult or adolescent is unaccompanied by a parent or guardian over the course of a year.

     The legislature further finds that among homeless youth, sixty-nine per cent report mental health problems; thirty-three per cent have once been part of the foster care system; and fifty per cent have been in the juvenile justice system, in jail or detention.  Moreover, sixty-two per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) youth report being physically harmed while experiencing homelessness, while forty-seven per cent of non-LGBTQ+ youth reported being physically harmed while homeless.

     The legislature also finds that runaway and homeless youth are vulnerable to multiple threats, including having unmet basic food and shelter needs, untreated mental health disorders, substance use, significant disruption to their education, sexually transmitted diseases and human immunodeficiency virus infection, sexual exploitation, physical victimization, and suicide.  The legislature recognizes that existing resources for outreach and shelter options are limited as unaccompanied homeless youth tend to be an underserved and neglected population.

     The purpose of this Act is to provide funding to the department of human services to provide emergency shelter and services to unaccompanied homeless youth.

     SECTION 2.  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 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to provide emergency shelter and services to unaccompanied homeless youth throughout the State; provided that emergency shelters and services shall be provided on each of the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu.

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

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

Report Title:

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth; Emergency Shelter and Services; Department of Human Services; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to provide emergency shelter and services to unaccompanied homeless youth.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.