STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1180-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2909

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 Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2909, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure, as received by your Committee, is to consolidate the law enforcement functions and activities of the State in the Department of the Attorney General.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes an enforcement division in the Department of the Attorney General; and

(2) Transfers to the enforcement division, the state law enforcement activities of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement; Department of Public Safety state law enforcement officers, including the narcotics enforcement investigators with the Narcotics Enforcement Division; and Department of Transportation Harbors Division.

The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; and several individuals supported this measure. The Office of the Governor, Department of the Attorney General, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Public Safety, Department of Transportation, and Young Progressives Demanding Action - Hawai‘i opposed this measure.

Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and instead:

(1) Requiring the Legislative Reference Bureau to:

(A) Conduct a study that examines consolidating the law enforcement activities and responsibilities of various state divisions and agencies under a single, centralized state enforcement division or agency; and

(B) Submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the 2019 Regular Session; and

(2) Appropriating funds to the Legislative Reference Bureau for the purposes of this measure.

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 S.B. No. 2909, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2909, 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 Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair