STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2392

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 3147

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3147 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the Director of Law Enforcement has authority to issue subpoenas as part of the investigative powers of the Department.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement and one individual.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 278, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, reorganized the Department of Public Safety into the Department of Law Enforcement and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.  However, for the Department of Law Enforcement to fully effectuate its mandate to administer state criminal law enforcement, subpoena powers for the Director of Law Enforcement are necessary for thorough investigations.  This measure promotes public safety while ensuring the Department of Law Enforcement has powers necessary to fulfill its mission.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3147, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3147, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair