STAND. COM. REP. NO. 144

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 540

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 540 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish and implement a Residential Drug Abuse Program to help nonviolent offenders transition and reintegrate back into the community.

     This measure also increases the number of transition beds for male inmates in module nineteen at the Oahu Community Correctional Center and provides for a reduction of an offender's sentence upon successful completion of the Residential Drug Abuse Program.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by four private organizations and three individuals.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by one state agency.  Copies of written testimony on this measure are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that establishing a community transitional program for nonviolent offenders will reduce the State's costs of incarceration and also provide nonviolent offenders with a program to treat substance abuse.  Your Committee further finds that nonviolent offender participation in the Residential Drug Abuse Program will reduce the likelihood of recidivism upon their release.  In addition, increasing the number of transitional beds in module nineteen at the Oahu Community Correctional Center will allow more nonviolent offenders to participate in the Residential Drug Abuse Program.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Residential Drug Abuse Program to begin operations on July 1, 2010;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 540, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 540, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair