STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3501

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NO. 751

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 751, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

Hawai‘i Paroling Authority

G.M. No. 751

BERT MATSUOKA, for a term to expire 6-30-2016,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal history, resume, and statement submitted by the nominee and finds Bert Matsuoka to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Hawaii Paroling Authority.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Bert Matsuoka from the Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Paroling Authority, State Public Defender, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Moiliili Hongwanji Mission, and five individuals.

     Bert Matsuoka has been the Chair of the Hawaii Paroling Authority for the past year.  He holds a Master's degree in Public Administration and Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Mr. Matsuoka's career includes more than twenty years in public service, initially as a metropolitan police officer with the Honolulu Police Department, and from 1980 as an investigator with the Department of Human Services Welfare Division.  Mr. Matsuoka was promoted to manage the Restitution Control Section where he coordinated and conducted criminal and administrative investigations.  In 1992, he administered the Volunteer Services Office where he was active in various community events that introduced him to many volunteers.  In 1993, Mr. Matsuoka joined the Office of Youth Services as the Youth Gang Project Coordinator, and in January 1995 he was appointed the Executive Director of the Office of Youth Services.

     The Department of Public Safety is working to return home Hawaii inmates placed out of state by developing and implementing a comprehensive reentry plan that will include expansion of in‑state capacity and community-based programs to prepare inmates for their successful reintegration into the community.  The Hawaii Paroling Authority is an integral part of the transitioning and reentry process.  Mr. Matsuoka has made important contributions to developing a parole system that promotes public safety through effective and evidenced-based programs for transitioning inmates.

     Mr. Matsuoka believes the process of parole needs to be recognized as complex and multi-faceted, and he seeks to collaborate and cooperate with the Department of Public Safety, other government agencies, non-profit organizations, and community groups in furtherance of improvements to the parole process.  Because of his vast experience in administering rehabilitation programs of all types, he sees the importance of the potential contribution of the Correctional Industries Program to the inmate rehabilitation and reentry programs.  Mr. Matsuoka also believes in the need to involve other departments, such as the Department of Health for parolee health care, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for finding jobs for parolees, and the Department of Human Resources Development for parolee job training.

     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, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair