Report Title:

CIP; Appropriation; Crime Laboratory Expansion; Technicians

Description:

Authorizes issuance of $1.25 million in GO bonds to expand HPD's crime laboratory; appropriates $ for HPD's hiring of additional crime laboratory technicians for statewide criminal investigations.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2076

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to law enforcement.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that DNA technology is vital to ensuring accuracy and fairness in the criminal justice system. DNA can be used to accurately identify criminals when biological evidence exists. DNA also can be used to clear suspects and exonerate persons wrongly accused or convicted of crimes.

The current state and county DNA collection and analysis system needs improvement. Public crime laboratories are overwhelmed by backlogs of DNA samples to be analyzed. Because these laboratories are ill equipped to handle the increasing influx of DNA samples and evidence, the administration of justice may be significantly delayed.

In Hawaii, the only crime laboratory that performs DNA analysis is the Honolulu police department. Neighbor island law enforcement agencies have negotiated memorandums of understanding with the Honolulu police department to perform DNA analysis. However, because the Honolulu police department crime laboratory is understaffed and lacks storage facilities for the large backlog of biological evidence from crime scenes, other counties send their DNA samples to private laboratories on the mainland to receive timely service.

The legislature finds that, with more resources, staff, and storage space, the Honolulu police department will be better able to analyze DNA for neighbor island law enforcement agencies, as well as provide better service in Oahu cases, thus greatly improving the delivery of justice.

SECTION 2. The director of finance is authorized to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of $1,250,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for fiscal year 2004-2005, for the expansion of the Honolulu police department's crime laboratory.

SECTION 3. The appropriation made for the capital improvement project authorized in this Act shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all appropriations which are unencumbered as of June 30, 2007, shall lapse as of that date.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated in section 2 shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii, the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, for a grant-in-aid to the city and county of Honolulu to enable the Honolulu police department to employ additional crime laboratory technicians for statewide crime investigations.

SECTION 6. The sum appropriated in section 5 shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu to hire additional crime laboratory technicians for the Honolulu police department to assist in criminal investigations statewide.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

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