STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1774-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2334

      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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2334, 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 provide for more effective leadership within the Sheriffs Division by:

     (1)  Repealing the civil service exemption for the First Deputy Sheriff and Second Deputy Sheriff; and

     (2)  Requiring the Deputy Director for Law Enforcement and the Sheriff to be graduates of a law enforcement academy, except if the existing Deputy Director or Sheriff was employed prior to the effective date of this bill.

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Human Resources Development and Department of Public Safety testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee notes that other than section 326-35, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), no provisions of the HRS define "sheriff" or appoint a "sheriff."  Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 2334, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2334, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair