Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 121 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request a financial and management audit of the three divisions within the Department of Public Safety to improve the services and care at Hawaii's prison facilities as well as to maximize staff efficiency and the prudent use of resources by the Department of Public Safety within each division.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Community Alliance on Prisons, Woman's Voice International, and two private individuals. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Public Safety.

Your Committee believes that although there have been numerous audits of the Department of Public Safety, an audit by the State Auditor is necessary to address solutions to a number of issues. Some of the issues include, but are not limited to, prison overcrowding, the effects of transferring inmates to mainland facilities, frequent turnover of Department of Public Safety directors, unfilled vacancies, ways to increase savings in overall operations, and the program deficiencies for inmates. Furthermore, an audit is needed to investigate the financial impacts of transferring the Law Enforcement Sheriff's Division to the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee has amended this measure to have the State Auditor also audit the following:

(1) The Correctional Industries; and

(2) The inmate trust account.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 121, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 121, H.D. 1.