Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1365, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to require the United States Attorney to partner with a private nonprofit corporation to coordinate and implement plans for the Hawaii Weed and Seed program.

The bill also appropriates funds for this purpose.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Weed and Seed program is a highly successful initiative of the United States Department of Justice, which is administered by the United States Attorney's Office, to weed out the criminal element and then seed the community with prevention, intervention, treatment activities, and economic revitalization. Your Committee further finds that state and local law enforcement agencies have fully collaborated and cooperated with the United States Attorney in the Hawaii Weed and Seed program. Your Committee believes that a public private partnership would facilitate the expansion of this highly successful initiative to other communities within the State. However, your Committee is doubtful of the Legislature's authority to require the United States Attorney to partner with a private nonprofit corporation for this purpose. Furthermore, your Committee is concerned over the uncertainty in the bill as to the identity of: the recipient of the funds; the source of the funds; and the expending agency for the appropriated funds.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended the bill to:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1365, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1365, S.D. 2.