STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1332

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.C.R. No. 134

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 134 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING ALL AGENCIES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO CONDUCT MANDATORY AND ONGOING IMPLICIT, UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the disproportionate representation of Native Hawaiians in the criminal justice system by requesting all agencies in the criminal justice system to conduct mandatory and ongoing implicit, unconscious bias training for all employees.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, Witt Counseling Service, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Public Safety and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General offered comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting that bias training be conducted on an annual basis rather than an ongoing basis;

     (2)  Inserting language that bias training is only requested for employees who have direct contact with offenders or individuals in the criminal justice system;

     (3)  Amending its title to read: "REQUESTING ALL AGENCIES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO CONDUCT ANNUAL, MANDATORY, IMPLICIT, UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING FOR SPECIFIC EMPLOYEES"; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 134, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 134, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair