STAND. COM. REP. NO. 859

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 424

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 424 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:

     (1)  Require police departments to disclose to the Legislature the identity of an officer upon the officer's second suspension in a five-year period or discharge; and

     (2)  Require disclosure of certain information under the Uniform Information Practices Act after a police officer's second suspension in a five-year period.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Information Practices; Police Department, City and County of Honolulu; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that this measure serves the public interest by disclosing the identities of police officers who are suspended twice within a five-year period.  Transparency and accountability of police officers are of great importance in maintaining the public's confidence in law enforcement, and a healthy relationship between police and the public is essential for maintaining the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 424, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 424, S.D. 1.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair