STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1204-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2791

S.D. 2

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 Health & Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2791, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Support Ho‘opono Mamo, the new Hawaii youth diversion system, through the establishment of the Kawailoa Youth and Family Wellness Center operated and maintained by Hawaii youth correctional facilities;

(2) Improve and enhance Hawaii's juvenile justice system by strengthening services available to prevent juvenile delinquency and recidivism and support rehabilitation; and

(3) Re-invest savings from the reduction of the number of youth in secure confinement at a Hawaii youth correctional facility into the provision of mental health and substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation services to prevent juvenile delinquency and to provide a more successful and supportive community reentry transition.

The Department of Human Services, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Office of Youth Services, Community Alliance on Prisons, Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and a few individuals testified in support of this measure. United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO, testified in opposition. The Department of Health and Department of Education provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Appropriating funds to the Department of Human Services for the operational costs of an organization providing prevention, intervention, and group and individual counseling for high risk youth;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to promote further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2791, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2791, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair