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.B. No. 159 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide the financing to build a correctional facility designed for the intensive treatment of substance abuse.

Your Committee finds that the construction and management of correctional facilities should be the sole responsibility of the State. The number of security breaches at privately operated prisons on the mainland that house local inmates demonstrates that inmate safety has been compromised. Additionally, state operated prison facilities would mean more jobs in the State, less inmate overcrowding, and the elimination of problems associated with prison transfers. Accordingly, this bill provides the financing means to construct a new state correctional facility designed for the intensive treatment of substance abuse.

Your Committee received testimony on this measure from the Department of Public Safety which supported the intent of the bill but was opposed to not using private contractors to administer correctional facilities. The Committee also received favorable testimony from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME local 152, AFL-CIO.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 159 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.