STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1159

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 130

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 130, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Public Safety to:

     (1)  Determine the number of incarcerated women who are eligible for reintegration into the community; and

     (2)  Contract with providers of gender-responsive community services to assist incarcerated women in successfully transitioning back into the community.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Gladys C. Baisa, Council Member, County Council, County of Maui; Pamela Lichty, MPH, President, The Drug Policy Action Group; Kat Brady, Coordinator, Community Alliance on Prisons; Mervina K. M. Cash-Kaeo, President and Chief Executive Officer, ALU LIKE, Inc.; Hardy Spoehr, Executive Director, Papa Ola Lokahi; and four individuals.

     Your Committee finds that, while the number of incarcerated women in Hawaii has increased at an alarming rate, the vast majority of these women are nonviolent offenders.  Your Committee further finds that incarceration is not an effective method to deal with the root problems that lead to the destructive behavior, including drug addiction, faced by women being held for nonviolent offenses.  Your Committee believes that this measure offers an array of gender-responsive services, including family reunification, employment, education opportunities, and housing that will assist incarcerated women in successfully transitioning back into the community.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2117, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 H.B. No. 130, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 130, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair