STAND. COM. REP. NO. 170

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 614

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 614 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 delete the sunset provision for Act 139, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, as amended, to make permanent provisions of the Act regarding pretrial risk assessments and parole.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Paroling Authority, Progressive Democrats of Hawaii, Community Alliance on Prisons, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i, and six individuals. 

     Your Committee finds that overcrowding in jails and prisons is a growing concern and a situation that can lead to negative impacts for the public.  One factor that contributes to overcrowding is the lack of or inefficient granting of parole.  Another factor is the length of time that pre-trial offenders are held in custody.  The Legislature addressed these problems previously, and as a result, the courts and the parole authority have been able to work with greater efficiency.  Accordingly, this measure is to ensure the continued improvement of efficiency in parole decisions and pretrial risk assessment by making a measure previously enacted by the Legislature permanent.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 614 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair