Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2976, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate moneys for the weed and seed strategy.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Public Safety, Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii, Honolulu Police Department, Weed and Seed in Hawaii, and Waipahu Community Association.

Your Committee finds that the weed and seed strategy is a collaborative effort among law enforcement (federal, state, and county) agencies, social service agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and residents to reclaim, restore, and rebuild communities.

Since its inception, the weed and seed strategy has been successful by "weeding" out crime in the Kalihi-Palama and Chinatown areas of downtown Honolulu, as well as "seeding" the community with human services and revitalization. Based on the success of the program in this area, your Committee believes that the weed and seed strategy works and should expand to help other communities.

Your Committee noted testimony from the Weed and Seed program to amend this measure by changing the funding to a grant-in-aid directly to the YMCA of Honolulu. However, your Committee believes that the specific issues for appropriating funds, including to whom the funds should be dispersed, are better addressed by the Committee on Ways and Means.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2976, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.