Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1750, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support female offenders in the transition from prison back into the community.

Specifically, this measure provides nominal funding for community-based reintegration programs for these females.

Your Committee finds that upon being released from prison and returning to the community, female offenders face issues of housing, work, and social stigmatism that may make their transition difficult and may increase the likelihood of recidivism. Community-based reintegration programs provide much needed structure, monitoring, accountability, and support that can help female offenders successfully reintegrate into society.

To facilitate further discussion on this matter, the measure was amended by adding a nominal appropriation for the 2005-2007 fiscal biennium.

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 H.B. No. 1750, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1750, S.D. 2.