STAND. COM. REP. NO. 174

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 1110

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans, to which was referred H.B. No. 1110 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM OVERSIGHT COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for an oversight coordinator position and necessary staff support positions for the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission (Commission).

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Habilitat, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Legislature authorized the position of oversight coordinator when it established the Commission in 2019, specified a salary equivalent to the salary of the Director of Human Resources Development, and mandated that the coordinator devote their entire time and attention to the administration of the Commission. The Legislature also authorized the oversight coordinator to employ persons to perform the functions of the Commission. To date, the Commission has operated without the benefit of an oversight coordinator or support staff.

Your Committee further finds that such an investment in the Commission will further the Commission's ability to accomplish its assigned duties, which include overseeing the State's correctional system, facilitating a correctional system transition to a rehabilitative and therapeutic model, establishing maximum inmate population limits for each correctional facility, and ensuring that the comprehensive offender reentry system is working properly.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3050, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee notes that the recommended appropriation amount for the oversight coordinator position and necessary support staff positions for the Commission is $330,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1110, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1110, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans,

____________________________

TAKASHI OHNO, Chair