STAND. COM. REP. NO. 732

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 970

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 970, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMITTED PERSONS' ACCOUNTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Public Safety to deposit the funds of committed persons into one or more noninterest bearing accounts with one or more financial institutions.

This measure would also allow the Department to maintain separate noninterest bearing accounts for each committed person, one for approved expenses and purchases during incarceration and one for funds that will be held to assist the person upon release from custody.

     Your Committee received two written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature’s website.

     Your Committee finds that recent litigation suggests that the  Department of Public Safety may be required to maintain only one account for each committed person and to pay interest on that account.  While thousands of hours are spent maintaining the accounts, committed persons are not charged for this service.  The Department lacks the resources -- funds, personnel, and software -- that would be needed to compute and track interest payments.  It is your Committee's intent to permit the Department to continue maintaining separate, noninterest bearing accounts for each committed person.

     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. 970, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair