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 S.B. No. 2436 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enact a special sentencing provision for habitual violent felons.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of the Attorney General, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney, and Honolulu Police Department. Comments were also submitted by the Office of the Public Defender.

Your Committee finds that there is a need to enact special sentencing provisions for habitual violent felons. Your Committee based its finding on a task force conclusion that these sentencing provisions are necessary. The task force was convened by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 86, 2003, under the leadership of the dean of the William S. Richardson School of Law and comprised of federal and state law enforcement officials, defense attorneys, and representatives of the state bar and the judiciary. Your Committee further finds that the specific language in this measure is the proposed language recommended by the task force. Your Committee believes that this measure is necessary and encompasses the recommendations of the task force.

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 S.B. No. 2436 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.