Committee advances bill to form judiciary working group on child-welfare court processes and counsel for youth

House Bill 1565 would establish a working group within the judiciary to improve family court processes and increase access to legal representation for youth in the child-welfare system. Deputy Attorney General Derek Peterson offered minor drafting clarifications to improve consistency, and multiple stakeholder organizations — including the Office of Wellness and Resilience, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, EPIC Ohana, and Hawaii Children’s Action Network — testified in strong support.

McKenna Woodward of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs highlighted Native Hawaiian overrepresentation in the foster system, saying native Hawaiian keiki "comprise 45% of those in foster care" despite representing a smaller share of the population. Testifiers urged including individuals with lived experience on the working group and recommended amendments to ensure youth voice, guardian ad litem perspectives, and statewide implementation.

The committee adopted the AG and judiciary amendments and moved HB 1565 forward with a recommendation.