STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2086

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2774

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2774 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WOMEN'S COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding for the Women's Community Correctional Center to further expand reentry planning circles, also known as huikahi circles, which are a part of a reentry planning process shown to decrease recidivism.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Community Alliance on Prisons, Women's Prison Project, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that reentry planning by incarcerated people is vital for their successful return to the community and their desisting from crime. Huikahi circles are for incarcerated people who take responsibility for their behavior and want to make amends with harmed loved ones and the community. Huikahi circles have been provided pro bono and with private grants to state prisons. Except for the State's 2021 Governor's Emergency Education Relief grant, the State has never funded the program for adults. Huikahi circles are healing for children of incarcerated parents and other loved ones and have been shown to reduce recidivism. This measure will assist incarcerated women to transition back into the community and reduce Hawaii's prison population by appropriating funds for the Women's Community Correctional Center to further expand huikahi circles.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2774 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair