STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1277-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2523

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2523, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend reporting requirements for the Department of Public Safety regarding correctional facilities and community correctional centers. Specifically, this measure:

(1) Authorizes the Director of Public Safety (Director) to withhold certain information regarding deaths at any correctional facility or community correctional center;

(2) Requires the Director's report submitted to the Governor to include the decedent's name and a description of the circumstances and cause of death of the individual; and

(3) Requires the Director to cite any state and federal laws prohibiting disclosure of any information withheld.

Prior to decision making on this measure, your Committee made available for public review a proposed H.D. 2, which amends this measure by removing its contents and inserting language to:

(1) Require the Department of Public Safety to expend certain appropriated funds from the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget solely for the community-based work furlough program for female inmates; and

(2) Make it effective retroactively to June 30, 2020.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the proposed H.D. 2 from the Department of Public Safety, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, YWCA Oahu, ACLU of Hawaii, Domestic Violence Action Center, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on the proposed H.D. 2 from three individuals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by adopting the proposed H.D. 2.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2523, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2523, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair