Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2976, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to address the issue of overcrowding at Hawaii's correctional facilities. Specifically, this measure requests an emergency appropriation for the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to:

Your Committee received a recommendation from the Governor requesting immediate consideration and passage of this bill, in accordance with Article VII, Section 9, of the State Constitution.

DPS and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu testified in support of this bill.

Prison overcrowding has long been an issue at the State's correctional facilities. DPS has attempted to address the situation by transferring inmates to correctional facilities on the mainland and to the federal detention center in Honolulu. This emergency appropriation is needed to assist DPS in effectively managing the inmate population.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2976, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.