HB2969

SECTION 1. (a) The legislature finds that the going home reintegration initiative is a vibrant network of various agencies focused on helping the criminal offender in the community, including the criminal offender returning to the community from re-incarceration. Formed in 2004 as a sub-committee of the Hawaii county mayor's task force on employment solutions, the going home reintegration initiative has a membership of more than seventy government agencies, private organizations, and individual concerned citizens. Working closely with the department of public safety, the Hawaii community correctional center, the Kulani correctional center, the Hawaii intake service center, the Hawaii paroling authority, and the adult probation division of the judiciary, the going home reintegration initiative helps provide and coordinate essential offender program services such as employment placement, housing, substance abuse treatment, and family reconnection.

(b) The going home reintegration initiative has helped to start, coordinate, and facilitate services on the island of Hawaii, such as:

(1) Job readiness for offenders in the community;

(2) Job readiness training, job placement assistance, and job retention strategies;

(3) Employer education forums and "business close up" events to encourage the hiring of offenders and ex-offenders;

(4) Transitional housing for offenders who would otherwise be homeless;

(5) Development of a supporting keiki of incarcerated parents program for the inmates at the Hawaii community correctional center;

(6) Attitudinal healing classes; and

(7) Support groups for offenders.

(c) The legislature further finds that the going home reintegration initiative has become integral to the State's efforts to improve public safety on the island of Hawaii. The going home reintegration initiative plans to continue and expand its efforts in such areas as:

(1) Expansion of employer resources;

(2) Coordinated training for offenders inside the correctional facilities and while they are in the community;

(3) Expansion of housing resources;

(4) Development of transportation resources;

(5) Transitional services and case management;

(6) Development of partners in west Hawaii;

(7) Development of services in west Hawaii and other districts on the island of Hawaii;

(8) Culturally sensitive components as part of the service spectrum; and

(9) Expansion of services for families of offenders.

The purpose of this Act is to support the going home reintegration initiative's efforts to successfully rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders to better assure the safety of the community.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $75,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the department of public safety to contract with a qualified agency on the island of Hawaii to provide coordination, communication, follow-up, and administration of the going home reintegration initiative.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $350,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the department of public safety to contract with qualified entities, such as the workforce development division of the department of labor and industrial relations or agencies familiar with the employment market on the island of Hawaii, to help offenders in east Hawaii with job readiness training, job placement assistance, and job retention strategies.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $133,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the department of public safety to contract with qualified entities, such as the workforce development division of the department of labor and industrial relations or agencies familiar with the employment market on the island of Hawaii, to help offenders in west Hawaii with job readiness training, job placement assistance, and job retention strategies.

SECTION 5. The sums appropriated in sections 2, 3, and 4 shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2969
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII