STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3011

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 415

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 415, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to direct the Auditor to conduct a financial and management audit of the Department of Public Safety's contract with the Corrections Corporation of America and the federal detention center in Honolulu.

     Specifically, the measure requires that the audit focus on a comparison, in terms of quality of programming, costs, and economic benefit to the State, of housing Hawaii inmates in mainland facilities and the federal detention center in Honolulu, with housing Hawaii inmates in Hawaii facilities operated by the State.  The measure further directs the Auditor to:

     (1)  Address the closure of the Kulani correctional facility as part of its analysis in conducting this comparison; and

     (2)  Recommend whether the continued housing of Hawaii inmates in mainland facilities and in the federal detention center in Honolulu is advisable, in view of the explicit requirements of the Community Safety Act of 2007 and its subsequent amendments.

     The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the recent closure of Kulani Correctional Facility raises questions regarding the cost-effectiveness of the Department of Public Safety's policy of contracting with the Corrections Corporation of America to house a substantial number of Hawaii inmates in mainland private prisons.  Your Committee also finds that the closure of Kulani Correctional Facility also raises questions regarding the Department of Public Safety's compliance with the requirements of the Community Safety Act of 2007.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 415, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 415, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair