STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2479

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2533

       S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2533 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN AUDIT OF CONTRACTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY WITH THE CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA AND THE FEDERAL DETENTION CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the State Auditor to conduct a financial and management audit of the Department of Public Safety's contracts with the Corrections Corporation of America and Federal Detention Center.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Community Alliance on Prisons, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, and a concerned individual.  Written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the Kulani correctional facility is important to the rehabilitation of state criminal offenders.  The Kulani correctional facility is the only state facility with a sex offender treatment program for minimum-custody sex offenders.  The facility also provides services to the prison population not found at other state facilities.  Your Committee also finds that the Governor plans to close the Kulani correctional facility to address the State's growing budget deficit.

     Your Committee finds that the closure of the Kulani correctional facility raises concerns over 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.  Your Committee believes that the Department's contracts with the Corrections Corporation of America and the Federal Detention Center should be reviewed to ensure that the State maximizes the impact of its limited funds and use of existing prison facilities.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2533, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2533, S.D. 1.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair