STAND. COM. REP. NO. 27-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1972

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1972 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL RELEASE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a medical release program within the Department of Public Safety for certain ill, disabled, or impaired inmates who pose a low risk to public safety.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Community Alliance on Prisons, and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Paroling Authority and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety.

Your Committee finds that correctional facilities in this State are housing a growing number of elderly inmates who often have extensive medical needs.

Your Committee also finds the requirements of this measure strike the appropriate, compassionate balance in considering whether an inmate's medical condition and the low likelihood of risk to the public warrant the inmate's release before the expiration of the inmate's sentence. Your Committee believes this measure creates a system of checks that will be protective of the public while reducing the costs associated with continuing to house a functionally declining and in some cases, terminally ill, population.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the definition of "debilitating disease or illness", which is not used in the measure and is therefore unnecessary.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1972, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1972, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair