STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2107

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2540

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2540 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to direct the Department of Public Safety, working with Ohana Hoopakele and other restorative justice groups, to prepare a plan for the creation of a puuhonua, or wellness center, on lands owned or controlled by the State, giving preference to the site formerly used as the Kulani Correctional Facility on the island of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from three nonprofit entities.  Testimony in opposition was received from one government entity.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

Your Committee finds that the most recent information on the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco reveals a disturbing rise in the use of these substances among the native Hawaiian population, and in particular, by native Hawaiian youth.  In fact, among high school students in the eighth and tenth grades, native Hawaiian children rank highest among all ethnic groups in the use of these substances.

 

     Your Committee further finds that the greatest potential to stem the tide of this most horrific situation lies in culturally-based substance abuse treatment and intervention programs that take a holistic approach based upon cultural identity, spirituality, and strength to get to the underlying reasons for substance abuse to enable healing from within.

 

     The site formerly used as the Kulani Correctional Facility in East Hawaii would be an ideal site for a wellness center.  It is a place of deep spirituality for the native Hawaiian people; and, pragmatically, it has the infrastructure and historical precedence for use in sustainable living.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2540, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2540, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair