STAND. COM. REP. NO.  313

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 643

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 643 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO YOUTH GANGS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to control illegal activity among Hawaii's youth, including youth gang behavior.  Among other things, this bill appropriates funds:

 

     (1)  For the continued operation of:

 

          (A)  A statewide information system and information clearinghouse on youth gangs;

 

          (B)  Public education on the youth gang problem;

 

          (C)  Community support groups to help citizens confront and deal with the problem of youth gangs;

 

          (D)  A statewide training program that includes cultural identity training for public citizens and government personnel who are involved or are in contact with youth gangs; and

 

          (E)  A statewide law enforcement task force focused on resolving youth gang criminal activities;

 

     (2)  For the police departments of the City and County of Honolulu, and the Counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai to monitor gang activities, and establish new gang prevention programs;

 

     (3)  To commission the Center for Youth Research of the University of Hawaii to:

 

          (A)  Assist the Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu to plan and develop programs for targeted youth groups; and

 

          (B)  Conduct a study of the activities offered to youths between thirteen and eighteen years of age by the Department of Parks and Recreation of the City and County of Honolulu in targeted communities that have yet to be determined;

 

     (4)  For the statewide expansion of the Campus Disturbance Plan of the Department of Education;

 

     (5)  For the Department of Education to continue the school based gang and drug prevention and intervention project initiated by the Honolulu Police Department in 1990 at Kalakaua and Dole Middle schools, and to expand the project to include schools that have yet to be determined;

 

     (6)  For the Department of Human Services' Office of Youth Services to provide and develop prevention and intervention services and programs statewide for youth-at-risk;

 

     (7)  For the Center for Youth Research of the University of Hawaii to conduct an evaluation of the youth gang response system; and

 

     (8)  To the Department of Human Services' Office of Youth Services to provide personnel, equipment, office space, and intrastate travel for monitoring purposes associated with its role in coordinating activities described in paragraphs (1) through (7) above.

 


     The Department of Education, Honolulu Police Department, and two concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Office of Youth Services of the Department of Human Services provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 643, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 643, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair