STAND. COM. REP. NO.  39-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

RE:   H.B. No. 1965

      H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1965 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS TREATMENT COURT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize and address the unique needs of veterans entering the criminal justice system on the Island of Hawaii by:

     (1)  Authorizing the conversion of a temporary Social Worker IV position to a permanent position and establishing an additional permanent Social Worker IV position within the Judiciary to support the veterans treatment court in the Third Circuit; and

     (2)  Appropriating funds to the Judiciary for those positions.

The Judiciary, Office of Veterans Services, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Councilmember representing District 3 of the County of Hawaii, Councilmember representing District 6 of the County of Hawaii, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaii, Hawai‘i County Bar Association, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Shipman Law, Rainbow Family 808, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  A concerned individual provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to June 15, 2215, to facilitate further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1965, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1965, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

MATTHEW S. LOPRESTI, Chair