STAND. COM. REP. 834

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 857

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 857 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure public participation in the development of correctional facilities by requiring that:

(1) During the site selection process, the Governor must notify the public of each proposed site and accept public comments for at least 60 days following notification;

(2) The Governor must notify the public of any:

(a) Actions to expand the inmate capacity of an existing correctional facility; or

(b) Capital improvement project at an existing correctional facility with a cost greater than $500,000;

and accept public comments for at least 60 days following notification;

and

(3) These public comment periods shall run concurrent with any review and public comment period for an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

The Community Alliance on Prisons submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Hawaii Government Employees Association supported this measure with an amendment. The Department of Public Safety opposed this measure. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor and Department of Accounting and General Services submitted comments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 857 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

____________________________

DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair