STAND. COM. REP. NO. 972

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1594

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1594, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRISIS INTERVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate moneys for a crisis intervention and diversion program within the Department of Health to divert persons in crisis from the criminal justice system to the appropriate health care system and services.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Department of Health, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that establishing a crisis intervention and diversion program will help ensure that persons having mental illnesses or co-occurring mental illnesses and substance use disorders receive treatment for their conditions. This treatment can reduce or eliminate the person's reoccurring involvement with the criminal justice system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the definition of "crisis center," and making other clarifying amendments, as recommended in written comments from the Department of Health;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1594, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1594, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair