STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1880

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 932

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 932, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A COMPREHENSIVE OFFENDER REENTRY SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide a comprehensive re-entry system for incarcerated persons rejoining the community by:

(1)  Establishing an offender re-entry system to help adult offenders prepare for release and reintegration back to the community;

(2)  Establishing a stakeholders committee and appropriating funds for demonstration projects;

(3)  Establishing a two-year pilot day-reporting center administered by the Department of Public Safety (DPS);

(4)  Appropriating funds for the expansion of the Restorative Circles Pilot Program to other correctional facilities statewide;

(5)  Authorizing the Hawaii Paroling Authority to parole committed persons to any county in the state where they will receive the greatest support to successfully reintegrate into the community;

(6)  Appropriating funds for a grant to Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc., for the administration of community-based reintegration programs; and

(7)  Appropriating funds to DPS to provide a cognitive restructuring and transition pilot program in the County of Hawaii.

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Mayor of the County of Hawaii, a member of the Maui County Council, Community Alliance on Prisons, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Institute for Human Services, Inc., Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc., and numerous concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the Hawaii Paroling Authority supported the intent of this bill.  DPS and the Department of Human Services submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Replacing all references to grants under Chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), with references to purchase of service contracts under Chapter 103F, HRS;

     (2)  Decodifying the authority of the Director of Public Safety to establish one full-time reentry specialist position to support reentry programs;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 932, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 932, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair