STAND. COM. REP. NO. 190

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1486

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred S.B. No. 1486 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL INDUSTRIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide corrections with more options in obtaining uniforms.

 

     Specifically, this measure authorizes the Administrator of the Department of Public Safety's Correctional Industries to sell uniforms and uniform accessories to state-employed adult corrections officers.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Public Safety.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure will allow adult correctional officers to purchase uniforms at their own expense to make necessary replacements or for the officers' convenience.  Under existing law, officers are not able to purchase additional uniforms and are only issued an initial four uniforms upon commencement of employment with the Department of Public Safety and one replacement uniform in each year of employment thereafter.

 

     Your Committee also finds that a correctional officer may need to replace more than one uniform in a year's time, or may want additional uniforms for convenience.  This measure will allow officers to purchase additional uniforms at the officers' expense.  A secondary, positive result of this measure is the potential for additional work opportunities for incarcerated persons through the vocational rehabilitative program, Correctional Industries, which is the sole manufacturer and provider of these uniforms.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1486 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair