STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1333

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.R. No. 140

      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.R. No. 140 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO IMPLEMENT AN EARNED-TIME PROGRAM TO ALLOW INMATES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO EARN CREDIT TOWARD REDUCING THEIR MINIMUM TERM OF IMPRISONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support inmates' rehabilitation and reentry back into their communities by requesting the State to develop a plan to implement an earned-time program to allow inmates under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Safety to earn credit toward reducing their minimum term of imprisonment.  

The Department of Public Safety, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, and numerous concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General offered comments.  

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending its title to read:  "REQUESTING THE STATE TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO IMPLEMENT A THREE-YEAR EARNED-TIME PILOT PROGRAM TO ALLOW INMATES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO EARN CREDIT TOWARD REDUCING THEIR MINIMUM TERM OF IMPRISONMENT";

     (2)  Clarifying that the earned-time program that is being requested to be developed be a three-year pilot program;

     (3)  Adding provisions requesting that the Hawaii Paroling Authority establish criteria for inmates who are ineligible for the three-year earned-time pilot program;

     (4)  Adding provisions requesting that the Department of Public Safety, Department of the Attorney General, Hawaii Paroling Authority, and other involved parties develop structured guidelines that clearly establish that inmates have the opportunity to earn credits toward reducing their minimum term of imprisonment but do not necessarily have a right to participate in this pilot program; and

     (5)  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.R. No. 140, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 140, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair