STAND. COM. REP. NO.  194

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1487

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred H.B. No. 1487 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) to conduct a study on the disparate treatment of native Hawaiians and other ethnic groups in the State's criminal justice system.

     The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, African American Lawyers Association, Community Alliance on Prisons, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  OHA submitted testimony in support of this measure with amendments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Requiring OHA to contract with a nationally respected and objective consulting firm to conduct the study, instead of having designated members jointly contribute to the study;

     (2)  Redefining the study contents to include the extent of, causes of, and barriers created by disparate treatment;

     (3)  Requiring all government agencies involved in Hawaii's criminal justice system to cooperate in the study;

     (4)  Requiring OHA to submit the consultant's findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation to the Legislature at least 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1487, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1487, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

FAYE HANOHANO, Chair