HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

243

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting the HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE JUDICIARY AND HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS to conduct a joint INTERIM HEARING TO GATHER INFORMATION TO assess the feasibility OF and TO IDENTIFY issues surrounding the allowance of drug sniffing dogs in public schools.

 

 

WHEREAS, drugs constitute a scourge on society through increased crime rates and a detriment to the lives of Hawaii's youth and threaten the unity and stability of families Statewide; and

WHEREAS, there is an increasing demand for the use of drug sniffing dogs to detect illicit drugs on campuses across the State; and

WHEREAS, the Academy of the Pacific and Saint Louis High School have recently employed these dogs on their respective campuses to locate drug use and distribution; and

WHEREAS, the use of these dogs in public schools is of great public importance as it will decrease the spread and use of drugs such as "ice," which have had devastating effects on families and communities across the State; and

WHEREAS, crystal methamphetamine or "ice," in particular, has resulted in a barrage of property crimes to support the habit, broken homes that are torn apart by abuse and crime, the costly expenses of treatment, and more, which have all been effects of drug use in families and communities throughout Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, drug sniffing dogs are a constitutional means for detecting drugs in the workplace and schools that has been supported consistently by the Hawaii Supreme Court as not affecting privacy rights; now, therefore

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the Senate concurring, that the legislature requests the House Judiciary committee and the Senate Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee to hold a joint interim hearing to gather information to assess the feasibility of and to identify issues surrounding the allowance of drug sniffing dogs in public schools; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Attorney General, the Prosecuting Attorney of each county, the Office of the Public Defender, the Department of Education, the legislative reference bureau, and the police department of each county, or their respective representatives, are requested to submit testimony at the interim hearing; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that sufficient public notice should be given so that interested groups and citizens are afforded enough time to submit testimony, if desired; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Senate Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee, the Attorney General, the Prosecuting Attorney of each county, the Public Defender, the Chairman of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Education, the legislative reference bureau, and the chiefs of the police department of each county.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Interim hearing; use of drug sniffing dogs in schools