STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2174

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2910

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. 2910 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 appropriate funds to the Department of Law Enforcement for an additional fifteen full-time equivalent (15.0 FTE) sheriff positions for transitional law enforcement officer activities in Lahaina.

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 one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the ACLU of Hawaiʻi.

Your Committee finds that historically, recovery efforts following major disasters span a protracted period of time. According to testimony received by your Committee, while recovery and rebuilding efforts for Lahaina and Maui are under way, there will be a significantly increased demand for law enforcement presence in the area to provide for the safety of the public, protection of property, and the enforcement of law. This measure will provide the support needed for effective disaster recovery and community resilience.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding language that establishes eleven full-time deputy sheriff positions and four permanent supervisory deputy sheriff positions;

(2) Adding language that broadens the scope of the positions to law enforcement officer activities in all of Maui;

(3) Deleting language that would have defined the positions as transitional law enforcement officer activities;

(4) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2042, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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. 2910, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2910, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair