STAND. COM. REP. NO. 998-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2949

S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Legislative Management, to which was referred S.B. No. 2949, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure the rights and safety of inmates who are housed at contracted correctional facilities.

Specifically, the measure provides the Office of the Ombudsman the authority to investigate out-of-state, private, or federal correctional facilities that have contracts with the Department of Public Safety to house Hawaii's inmates.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii provided testimony in support. The State of Hawaii Office of the Ombudsman offered comments on this measure.

Your Committees note that the Office of the Ombudsman has suggested a number of amendments and concerns regarding this measure and the role of the Ombudsman, several of which involve legal issues. Your Committees believe that many of these suggestions merit further discussion and requests the Committee on Judiciary to give them due consideration.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Legislative Management that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2949, S.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety & Military Affairs and Legislative Management,

 

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MICHAEL Y. MAGAOAY, Chair

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KEN ITO, Chair