STAND. COM. REP. NO. 346

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 11

       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 Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 11 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE SHERIFF,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to create a Department of the Sheriff to assume the duties and functions of the Sheriff Division of the Department of Public Safety.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one entity and numerous individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one state department.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one state department.

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Public Safety is presently organized around three separate divisions:  Corrections, Sheriff, and Narcotics Enforcement.  Your Committee further finds that a proposal to establish a separate Department of the Sheriff may be warranted to mirror the practice of Mainland states that have a sheriff department and a corrections department.  However, your Committee believes that the proposal warrants further study before enactment of any legislation.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting provisions to create a transitional task force to study and report to the Legislature before the 2012 Regular Session a plan to establish a new Department of the Sheriff.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 11, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 11, 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, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair