STAND. COM. REP. NO.  93-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2608

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2608 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRISONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to create a separate forensic treatment facility within each of the State's community correctional centers.

     This is intended to prevent detainees and inmates with severe mental illnesses from being housed with the general prison population.  The bill also prohibits the Department of Public Safety from putting a committed person with mental illness in solitary confinement.

     Your Committee finds that mentally ill individuals in prison are more likely to be under-treated or receive no mental health treatment services at all.  Your Committee further finds that the federal Department of Justice has raised concerns over practices at the Oahu Community Correctional Center that are harmful to mentally ill and suicidal inmates.

The Community Alliance on Prisons and a concerned citizen submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Public Safety submitted comments.

     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. 2608 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair