STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1217-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2082

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2082, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure the preservation of beneficial family ties for children of female inmates housed on the mainland by requiring the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to develop a plan by January 1, 2009, to return as many as possible of the female prisoners who are residents of Hawaii and incarcerated on the mainland as possible to Hawaii by July 1, 2009.

     The Community Alliance on Prisons, Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc.'s Being Empowered and Safe Together Reintegration Program, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Government Efficiency Teams, Inc., and a concerned individual supported this bill.  DPS supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Narrowing the study to focus on developing key programs and services that female prisoners will need upon their return to Hawaii from mainland prisons; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2082, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2082, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair