STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1527

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.R. No. 162

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety and Legislative Management, to which was referred H.R. No. 162 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO INCLUDE PROVISIONS IN NEW CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE OR OUT-OF-STATE PRISON FACILITIES THAT INMATE COMPLAINTS ARE SUBJECT TO INVESTIGATION BY THE OMBUDSMAN AND TO RENEGOTIATE EXISTING CONTRACTS TO ALLOW THE OMBUDSMAN TO INVESTIGATE INMATE COMPLAINTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to work toward ensuring the safety of Hawaii inmates in mainland prisons by urging the Department of Public Safety (PSD) to include, in contracts with private or out-of-state prison facilities, provisions that inmate complaints are subject to investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman).

     The Community Alliance on Prisons, Drug Policy Action Group, Na Koa Ikaika, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals supported this resolution.  The Ombudsman and PSD submitted comments.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Legislative Management that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 162 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Legislative Management,

____________________________ JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA, Chair

____________________________ FAYE HANOHANO, Chair