STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3113

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2230

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2230, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Law Enforcement Standards Board to develop, and each department employing law enforcement officers to implement, a structured health intervention program to support law enforcement officers' physical and mental health.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Wellness and Resilience, State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, and Hawaiʻi Psychological Association.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement.

Your Committees find that law enforcement professions, including policing, may regularly expose officers to violence, suffering, death, and disturbing situations, causing high levels of job-related stress and physical and mental health problems. Your Committees further find that occupational health studies have recommended ways to mitigate job-related stress among law enforcement officers, including but not limited to the implementation of structured health intervention programs. This measure will increase public safety by supporting law enforcement officers' health.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the term "trauma-informed therapy" with "trauma-informed mental health support"; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2042, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2230, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2230, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair