THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1187

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  This Act is recommended by the governor for immediate passage in accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.

     SECTION 2.  Act 5, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, as amended by Act 7, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020, as amended by Act 9, Session Laws of Hawaii 2020, deleted the base salary of 298.50 positions in the amount of $17,972,111, general funds from the fiscal year 2020-2021 budget of the department of public safety.  Specifically, 160.0 adult corrections officers' salaries were deleted, totaling $9,613,332.

     The department of public safety operates eight separate correctional institutions on Oahu and three neighbor islands, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (24/7).  A sufficient number of trained security staff is required to safely operate these secure institutions.  The staff of one hundred sixty (160.0 FTE) adult corrections officers is necessary to ensure 24/7 security coverage especially considering any response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The department projects a shortage in funding for personnel for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the following facilities:

     PSD 402- Halawa Correctional Facility:  $ 1,281,396

     PSD 403- Kulani Correctional Facility:  $ 29,520

     PSD 404- Waiawa Correctional Facility:  $ 292,932

     PSD 405- Hawaii Community Correctional Center:  $ 240,714

     PSD 406- Maui Community Correctional Center:  $ 1,053,924

     PSD 407- Oahu Community Correctional Center:  $ 1,620,912

     PSD 408- Kauai Community Correctional Center:  $ 144,204

     PSD 409- Women’s Community Correctional Center:  $ 143,064

Additionally, staffing for the health care division which is at the forefront of the department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been critically reduced with the deletion of the base salary for 33.50 positions, of which, 26.50 are health care professionals, including physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, registered nurses, para-medical assistants, physical and occupational therapists, and psychiatric social workers.  The salary reduction for the 26.50 positions in PSD 421-Health Care for fiscal year 2020-2021 is $2,400,451.  The department's pandemic response plan requires all health care disciplines to provide health care service, assistance, and monitoring capabilities in-house at all correctional institutions.  The department projects a shortfall for personnel services for PSD 421-Health Care in fiscal year 2020-2021 as:

     PSD 421 – Health Care:   $ 1,200,226

     The purpose of this Act is to make an emergency appropriation to the department of public safety to provide the correctional institutions listed above and the health care division with sufficient funds to cover the personnel costs associated with the provision of 24/7 operations and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to fund intake service center positions.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $6,006,892 or so much thereof as may be necessary for the fiscal year 2021-2022 for the department of public safety to cover the costs of the personnel services shortfall.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $502,476 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2021-2022 for the department of public safety to fund intake service center positions.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021.

 

 

Report Title:

Emergency Appropriation; Department of Public Safety

 

Description:

Makes an emergency appropriation to provide funds for the Department of Public Safety to cover the costs of the personnel services shortfall at all correctional institutions statewide and health care services and fund intake service center positions.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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