Increases members of Hawaii paroling authority from 3 to 7; requires senate confirmation for appointments; establishes that a quorum consists of 4 members.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Section 353-61, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§353-61 Hawaii paroling authority; appointment; tenure; qualifications. Members of the paroling authority shall be nominated by a panel composed of the chief justice of the Hawaii supreme court, the director, the president of the Hawaii Criminal Justice Association, the president of the bar association of Hawaii, a representative designated by the head of the Interfaith Alliance Hawaii, a member from the general public to be appointed by the governor and the president of the Hawaii chapter of the national association of social workers. The panel shall submit to the governor the names of not less than three persons, designated as the nominees, for chairperson or as a member, for each vacancy. The governor shall appoint, in the manner prescribed by section 26-34, a paroling authority to be known as the Hawaii paroling authority, to consist of [three] seven members one of whom shall be designated chairperson. Of the members first appointed after May 13, 1976, the member designated as chairperson shall be appointed for a term of four years, one member shall be appointed for a term of three years, and one member shall be appointed for a term of two years; thereafter all appointments shall be made for terms of four years, commencing from the date of expiration of the last preceding term. [Any vacancy in an unexpired term shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.] All appointments are subject to confirmation by the senate. Nominees to the authority shall be selected on the basis of their qualifications to make decisions that will be compatible with the welfare of the community and of individual offenders, including their background and ability for appraisal of offenders and the circumstances under which offenses were committed."

SECTION 2. Section 353-63, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§353-63 Service of Hawaii paroling authority members; compensation; expenses. The chairperson of the Hawaii paroling authority shall serve on a full-time basis. The other [two] members shall serve on a part-time basis. Effective July 1, 1994, the chairperson of the Hawaii paroling authority shall be paid a salary set by the governor within the range of $72,886 to $77,966, a year. The compensation of each of the part-time members shall be eighty per cent of the hourly wage paid the chairperson. For each hour engaged in the official duties of the authority, each part-time member of the authority shall be paid an hourly wage at the percentage rate specified in this section based on the hourly wage paid the chairperson; provided that compensation shall not exceed eighty per cent of the total regular working hours in a month; and provided further that part-time members shall not be entitled to any vacation, sick leave, or other benefits except as provided in this section. All paroling authority members shall receive their necessary expenses for travel and incidentals which shall be paid from appropriations provided the authority for such purposes, on vouchers approved by the director of public safety."

SECTION 3. Section 353-68, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

"(c) The paroling authority shall act by majority of all its members present in respect of all proceedings touching the parole of prisoners. A quorum shall consist of four members."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.