STAND. COM. REP. NO. 941

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1174

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1174, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INCARCERATED PARENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to support the expansion of parent-child interaction programs at state correctional facilities.

Specifically, the bill appropriates funds to the Department of Public Safety to contract with community agencies to establish and implement parent-child interaction programs.

Your Committee received comments in support of the measure from: Child and Family Service, Community Alliance on Prisons, Keiki O Ka'Aina Family Learning Centers, Supporting Keiki of Incarcerated Parents (SKIP) Partnership, and four concerned individuals.  One individual also submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that children of incarcerated parents suffer a multitude of negative consequences, including possible displacement from their home and separation from their primary or secondary caregiver.  Children of incarcerated parents are also six times more likely to become criminal offenders themselves.

Your Committee further finds that parent-child interaction programs like SKIP strengthen families, reduce abuse and neglect of children of incarcerated parents, and decrease the rate of recidivism.

     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 S.B. No. 1174, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair