STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1065-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 3016

      S.D. 2

      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 Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3016, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist incarcerated individuals with reintegration into society and work to reduce recidivism among incarcerated individuals, particularly those of Native Hawaiian ancestry, as well as benefit the community without jeopardizing public safety by:

     (1)  Directing the Department of Public Safety, in cooperation with ‘Ohana Ho‘opakele and other restorative justice groups, to plan for the creation of a wellness center employing native Hawaiian cultural practices to restore the overall well-being of individuals, families, and the native Hawaiian community;

     (2)  Requiring the Public Land Development Corporation to assist in determining an appropriate site for the wellness center, but to give preferential consideration to the Kulani Correctional Facility on the island of Hawaii; and

     (3)  Requiring the Department to create a work release pilot program on the Island of Hawaii for low-risk incarcerated individuals to work on community projects.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Malu Aina Center for Non-Violent Education & Action, Na Maka o ka Aina, Blueprint for Change, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Public Safety, Department of Land and Natural Resources, ‘Ohana Ho‘opakele, and Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting references specifying that the work release program created by the Department of Public Safety be located on the island of Hawaii; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3016, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3016, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair