STAND. COM. REP. NO.  90-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2773

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2773 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE WEED AND SEED PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in Hawaii's neighborhoods by:

     (1)  Permanently establishing the Weed and Seed Program within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; and

     (2)  Appropriating unspecified funds to maintain current operations of the Weed and Seed Program and expand the Weed and Seed Program into other areas of the State.

The Hawaii Public Housing Authority of the Department of Human Services, Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu Weed and Seed, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and Department of Public Safety testified in support of the intent of this measure.

     Weed and Seed is a program that takes a comprehensive multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization.  This collaborative effort involving law enforcement, community residents, non-profit organizations, community groups, and private businesses has helped to reduce crime and improve the quality of life for neighborhoods that have been designated as weed and seed areas.  The program works by attempting to "weed" out the criminal element in the community while simultaneously "seeding" the community through the implementation of prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood revitalization projects, programs, and activities.  Continuing these efforts will help reduce crime and improve the quality of life for the people of Hawaii.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Allowing the Office of Community Services to contract out for services to be provided under the Weed and Seed Program;

     (2)  Specifying the amount of $336,000 as the amount appropriated to maintain current operations of the Weed and Seed Program and expand the Weed and Seed Program into other areas of the State; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2773, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2773, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair