STAND. COM. REP. NO. 245-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2203

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 Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2203 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish an enforcement division within the Department of the Attorney General comprising law enforcement officers, investigators, and other specialized personnel to engage in state law enforcement matters for the following:

(1) The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement;

(2) The Department of Public Safety state law enforcement officers, and narcotics enforcement investigators with the Narcotics Enforcement Division; and

(3) The Department of Transportation Harbors Division.

The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO and two individuals testified in support of this measure. The Department of the Attorney General, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Public Safety, Department of Transportation, The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and an individual opposed this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee recognizes that the complexities and changes occurring within government merits taking an expansive look at existing government structure and inadvertent agency silos in serving the public interest. Your Committee finds that this measure engages the public in deliberative discussion by examining whether certain functions should be amalgamated and centralized in one agency based on similarities in the nature and scope of work. Your Committee believes that the enforcement functions of the departments named in this measure merits further discussion to improve efficiencies and effectiveness in government operations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor & Public Employment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2203, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2203, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair