STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2067

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2631

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2631 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Public Safety for the expansion of work furlough programs.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety; Community Alliance on Prisons; The CHOW Project; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; and four individuals.

     Your Committee finds that gradual re-entry into the community provides inmates with the best opportunity for success.  Work furlough programs are extremely valuable for teaching inmates critical decision making and self-sufficiency skills, as well as helping former inmates find employment opportunities.  Work furlough programs additionally reduce recidivism by preparing inmates for reintegration into the community and fostering in participants a sense of pride and responsibility.  For these reasons, your Committee finds that supporting work furlough programs is in the public interest.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2631 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair