STAND. COM. REP. NO.  271-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1987

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1987 entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to develop a youth gang response system coordinated by the Department of the Attorney General that incorporates critical elements of law enforcement and intelligence, training and community awareness, community intervention, community prevention, information, and evaluation.  Specifically, this measure appropriates funds to:

 

     (1)  The Department of the Attorney General to:

 

          (A)  Develop a statewide information system and information clearinghouse on youth gangs, public education, community support groups, a statewide parent education program for parents and caregivers, and a statewide law enforcement task force focusing on resolving and preventing youth gang criminal activities; and

 

          (B)  Provide personnel, equipment, office space, and monitoring trips to the Neighbor Islands in its role as the overall coordinator of the youth gang response system.

 

     (2)  The City and County of Honolulu, County of Hawaii, County of Maui, and County of Kauai to monitor gang activities and establish new gang prevention strategies and projects;

 

     (3)  The Office of Youth Services to provide and develop prevention and intervention services and programs statewide for youth at risk;

 

     (4)  The University of Hawaii to commission the Center for Youth Research; and

 

     (5)  The Department of Education to develop school based gang and drug prevention and intervention programs.

 

     The Kalihi Community Youth Violence and Gang Prevention and Intervention Task Group and two concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Office of Youth Services supported the intent of this measure.  The Adult Friends for Youth and a concerned individual opposed this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General and a concerned individual provided comments.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting all of the appropriations except for the appropriation for counties to monitor gang activities and establish new gang prevention strategies and projects;

 

     (2)  Inserting an appropriation for the Office of Youth Services to provide and develop prevention and intervention services and programs statewide for youth at risk;

 

     (3)  Changing the appropriation amounts to an unspecified amount;

 

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (5)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style, clarity, and consistency. 


     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1987, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1987, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Education,

 

 

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair

 

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair