STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2994

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2119

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2119 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ROOM CONFINEMENT OF CHILDREN AT DETENTION AND SHELTER FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish conditions and time limits under which a child or minor may be placed in room confinement in a detention or shelter facility.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Judiciary, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, American Civil Liberties Union Hawai‘i, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that room confinement poses a health and safety risk for youth, including increasing the likelihood of self-harm, suicide, and re-traumatizing youth who are already victimized. The State's juvenile justice system has undergone a major philosophical shift in recent years, leaving behind practices that exert control over youth through punishment and focusing on evidence-based and trauma-responsive approaches for holding youth accountable for their conduct. This measure ensures that room confinement is restricted to be used in very limited circumstances.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2119, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2119, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair