STAND. COM. REP. NO.  272-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2514

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2514 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to implement recommendations of the Justice Reinvestment Working Group relating to improvements in the pre-trial process, parole, restitution, and availability of services in the criminal justice system and Department of Public Safety.

 

     The Governor, Department of Public Safety, Crime Victim Compensation Commission, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Community Alliance on Prisons, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, a member of the Maui County Council, and two individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Council of State Governments Justice Center, Hawaii Paroling Authority, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, and American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Stating its intent to reduce costly inefficiencies, hold offenders more accountable, and reinvest savings in more effective public safety strategies;

 

(2)  Clarifying that persons subject to local or state, but not federal, detainers or holds shall not be eligible for pre-trial assessments pursuant to this measure;

 

(3)  Clarifying that persons subject to local, state, or federal detainers or holds shall be eligible for parole upon completion of the person's minimum sentence;

 

(4)  Increasing the membership of the Hawaii Paroling Authority to five members and specifying that four shall serve on a part-time basis;

 

(5)  Specifying that an inmate who is determined by the Hawaii Paroling Authority Board to currently constitute a significant risk to the safety or property of other persons that can only be mitigated by additional incapacitation shall not be eligible for parole;

 

(6)  Making appropriations for various positions in the Department of Public Safety from savings realized by reducing the incarcerated population and for the purpose of realizing the goals of the justice reinvestment initiatives;

 

(7)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate continued discussion on this measure; and

 

(8)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2514, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2514, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair