STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1101-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3295

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans, to which was referred S.B. No. 3295, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission to provide oversight over state correctional facilities that incarcerate women, receive and investigate complaints from incarcerated women, monitor the criminal justice system's progress in implementing reforms, and monitor programs and data that are important to ensuring successful outcomes for women in the correctional system;

(2) Require annual reports to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the Commission's operations, including the hiring of necessary staff.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Correctional System Oversight Commission, Women's Prison Project, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the duties and responsibilities that would be assigned to the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission are encompassed by the statutory responsibilities of the Hawai‘i Correctional System Oversight Commission but are specifically targeted to incarcerated females. In addition, the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission would be attached to the Department of Public Safety rather than the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee further finds that the oversight provided by the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission would focus on effective gender-responsive enhancements and reforms.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that appointees to the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission may be from any county within the State;

(2) Adding the State Public Defender or designee to the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 S.B. No. 3295, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3295, S.D. 1, 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