STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1268-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   S.B. No. 2524

      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. 2524, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRISONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure proper mental health treatment to Hawaii's prisoner population suffering from mental illness, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression by requiring the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to conduct a study of the feasibility of creating separate forensic treatment facilities for mentally ill prisoners in all community correctional centers or, in the alternative, a separate, centralized forensic treatment facility.

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association, Community Alliance on Prisons, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  DPS opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Deleting provisions dealing with creating a forensic facility to treat mentally ill prisoners;

     (2)  Focusing on ensuring medical treatment within existing correctional facilities and changing disciplinary strategies for mentally ill prisoners;

     (3)  Inserting an appropriation of $5,000 to implement a feasibility study; and

     (4)  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. 2524, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2524, 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