STAND. COM. REP. NO. 511

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 676

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. 676 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE POWER OF ARREST,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to add the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to, and delete Citizenship and Immigration Services from, the list of federal agencies whose officers may make arrests for certain offenses under state law.  This measure also adds the proper titles of the heads of the district offices for the listed federal agencies.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

     Testimony on this measure indicates that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the largest investigative branch of the Department of Homeland Security, and its special agents and officers are law enforcement officers who are authorized to carry weapons and make arrests.

     Your Committee finds that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will be able to provide much needed support to state and county law enforcement efforts.

     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. 676 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair