STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3663

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 44

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 44 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE JUDICIARY TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF ESTABLISHING DWI COURT PROGRAMS IN KONA AND HILO ON HAWAII ISLAND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Judiciary to examine the feasibility and potential benefits of establishing driving while impaired (DWI) court programs in Kona and Hilo and report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that impaired driving is a threat to public safety.  DWI court programs are post-conviction programs that use intensive supervision and long-term treatment to change the behavior of repeat impaired driving offenders.  The DWI court program on Oahu has had a zero percent recidivism rate for subsequent impaired driving arrest of those who graduated from the program compared to the twenty percent recidivism rate for subsequent impaired driving arrests among those who were eligible for the DWI court program but who chose not to participate.  Due to Hawaii island having the highest per capita incidence of impaired driving of all counties in the State, this measure will assist the Judiciary in determining the feasibility of establishing a DWI court program on the island of Hawaii that is similar to the program on Oahu.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 44, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair