STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2093

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2947

S.D. 1

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2947 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish criteria for contracts between the Department of Public Safety and out-of-state facilities that house Hawaii inmates.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by A Woman's Voice International and the Community Alliance on Prisons. Two individuals also submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Department of Public Safety submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

Your Committee finds that with almost fifty per cent of Hawaii's prison population being housed in out-of-state facilities, it is crucial that criteria be set and adhered to when prisoners are transferred out-of-state.

Your Committee amended this measure to require contracts between the Department of Public Safety and out-of-state facilities to:

(1) Require out-of-state facilities to furnish the Department of Public Safety with a list of their staff training programs, as well as a description of the training. This information is required to be posted on the Department of Public Safety's website;

(2) Clearly state whether the policies and procedures for discipline to be used are those of the State or of the state in which the out-of-state facility is located;

(3) Cooperate with the Office of the Ombudsman in the event of an investigation of the out-of-state facility by the Office of the Ombudsman; and

(4) Require that all contracts awarded under this measure be placed on the Department of Public Safety's website for public viewing.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2947, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2947, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

		____________________________ COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair