STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1476

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.C.R. No. 90

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 90 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a law enforcement and public safety efficiency task force to develop clear policies, create clear interagency protocols, and facilitate interagency communication to improve efficiency and ensure public safety.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). The Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) submitted proposed amendments.

Your Committee finds that safeguarding our community is one of the most important roles of state government. Currently, law enforcement responsibility rests in several different agencies, including DPS, DLNR, the Department of Transportation, County Police Departments, and federal agencies, among others.

Your Committee finds that close coordination among all agencies with law enforcement authority is necessary to meet the challenges of law enforcement in the twenty-first century. Therefore, your Committee supports establishment of a task force to improve interagency coordination.

Your Committee amended this measure to delete the requirement that the task force consider the establishment of a state police force. Your Committee finds that the County Police Departments are doing a fine job, and therefore a state police force is unnecessary.

Based on the same reasoning, your Committee also amended the duties of the task force to require that it assess the need for a commission to coordinate the functions of the various law enforcement agencies, rather than a commission "on state law enforcement." Your Committee also amended this measure to require that the task force identify all federal law enforcement agencies and their responsibilities, in addition to identifying every state law enforcement agency.

Finally, your Committee amended this measure to place a representative from DAGS on the task force. The Information and Communication Services Division of DAGS is responsible for the State's communications systems and can provide input on the technical and operational aspects of public safety radio communications.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 90, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 90, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations,

____________________________

CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair