STAND. COM. REP. NO. 779

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1039

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1039, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Public Safety to work with appropriate federal and state agencies to assist inmates in obtaining important government documents, including a social security card, driver's license, civil identification card, or birth certificate.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii Paroling Authority; Community Alliance on Prisons; Hoomana Pono, LLC; YWCA Oahu; and seven individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that assisting inmates to transition back into everyday life is a vital component of successful inmate rehabilitation.  Inmates who are incarcerated for long periods of time often lose important government documents pertaining to their identities, such as a social security card, birth certificate, driver's license, or civil identification card, which can prevent the former inmate from successfully transitioning back into society.  Your Committees find that it is necessary to establish guidelines requiring the Department of Public Safety to work with appropriate federal and state agencies to assist eligible inmates in obtaining important government documents.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1039, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1039, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means,

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

 

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair