Domestic violence
shelter operators decry
Senate bill

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

Government regulation of private domestic violence and other human services shelters may mean higher costs for Sandra Joy Eastlack.

Eastlack, a domestic violence program operator who has struggled financially since 1992 to maintain a small transitional housing program for abused partners and their families on Oahu, says she may have to shut it down if more time and money are needed to comply with such a law.

"If one more cent is required, or one more minute of my time is required, I would have to recommend that the program be closed," said Eastlack, who added the home has helped 45 families so far.

House lawmakers are considering the fate of a Senate bill that requires the state Health and Human Services departments to oversee privately operated group-living homes, despite the fact most of these programs do not receive state money.

The Rev. Neal MacPherson of Church of the Crossroads, which operates a small private transitional housing facility, added the bill imposes an unwieldly bureaucracy. Such regulation is unneeded and ill-conceived, he said.

House Human Services Chairman Dennis Arakaki (D, Kalihi Valley) said yesterday the amended Senate bill strays from its original intent of notifying communities about domestic violence shelters in their neighborhood. Senate Bill 1006, SD1, is too broad and regulates every type of private housing, including transitional shelters and halfway houses, he said.

"It doesn't sound like a really good idea," Arakaki said.

Nevertheless, members of the Human Services Committee persuaded Arakaki to defer a panel vote on the bill until Monday to give Rep. David D. Stegmaier (D, Hawaii Kai) a chance to come up with a proposed amendment that notifies the community about these transitional homes.

"I'm not sure that killing the bill is the answer either," he said.

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