STAND. COM. REP. NO. 305

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 227

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 227 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY OF THE COUNTY OF MAUI,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds as a grant-in-aid to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui for the Drug Court and Mental Health Court programs.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney City and County of Honolulu, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney County of Kauai, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney County of Maui, and Office of the Prosecuting Attorney County of Hawaii.

     Your Committees find that the Drug Court program helps offenders turn their lives around and costs the State significantly less money per day compared to incarceration.  The Mental Health Court program, another critical program, helps offenders receive appropriate mental health treatment.  These programs provide worthy services to the citizens of the County of Maui.  Implementation of this measure decreases criminal activity and provides the necessary resources to assist offenders in receiving appropriate guidance and treatment.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 227 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Judiciary and Labor,

________________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair