STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3331

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2763

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2763, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS TASK FORCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to re-establish the Children of Incarcerated Parents Task Force through December 31, 2011 and to appropriate funds for its operation.

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Community Alliance on Prisons, the Children of Incarcerated Parents Task Force, and one individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Public Safety submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Human Services submitted comments.

     The Children of Incarcerated Parents Task Force was established by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 128 (2005), and extended until December 31, 2007, by Act 256, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, to develop, among other things, programs and support services for children of incarcerated parents.  However, since the task force was not convened until May 2007, members had insufficient time to address all of the complex issues surrounding this subject before it ceased to exist.

     It is estimated that there are approximately six thousand children in Hawaii of incarcerated parents.  However, your Committee finds that more accurate data regarding this population is necessary to appropriately design programs and support services for this vulnerable population.  Currently, there are no state programs aimed at these children's specific needs.  According to national data, children of incarcerated parents are six to seven times more likely than their peers to end up incarcerated themselves.  This measure will help to develop methods to prevent generational incarceration.

     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 H.B. No. 2763, H.D. 1, 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