STAND. COM. REP. NO. 641

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 986

       S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 986, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a task force to formulate policies and procedures to eliminate the disparate treatment of all peoples in Hawaii's criminal justice system, with particular focus on native Hawaiians.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu.

     Your Committee finds that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs released a study in 2010 that concluded that native Hawaiians are disproportionately impacted at every stage of the criminal justice system.  Your Committee further finds that this task force will recommend strategies to reduce unnecessary involvement with the criminal justice system.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs shall be a member of the task force;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the issue; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, 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. 986, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 986, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair