HI HB239

Amends the definition of "child abuse or neglect" in Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 350-1 to clarify that failure to provide food, clothing, shelter, psychological care, physical care, medical care, or supervision does not constitute abuse or neglect if the sole reason is lack of financial resources.

Establishes that evidence of a parent's request for financial support shall not be considered evidence of child abuse and neglect.

Recognizes the correlation between poverty and child neglect while distinguishing between a parent's inability to provide due to financial constraints versus unwillingness to provide adequate care.

Effective date of July 1, 3000 (note: this appears to be a drafting error, as the typical effective date would be July 1, 2025).