STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1116

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 845

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 845, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Public Safety, in collaboration with county and state agencies, to issue civil identification cards to inmates and to assist inmates in obtaining other important government documents, including a social security card, or birth certificate, necessary for successful reentry into society.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Public Safety; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Judiciary, State of Hawaii; Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii; CHOW Project; Community Alliance on Prisons; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaii Women's Coalition; YWCA Oahu; and nine individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that helping inmates transition back into everyday life is a vital component of successful inmate rehabilitation.  One of the problems inmates encounter is that they are incarcerated for long periods and often lose important government documents pertaining to their identities.  Upon release, the lack of necessary government-issued identification documents, such as a social security card, birth certificate, or civil identification card, can prevent a former inmate from being able to successfully transition back into society.  Therefore, it is necessary to establish guidelines requiring the Department of Public Safety to work with appropriate federal, state, and county agencies to assist eligible inmates in obtaining important government documents.

 

     In establishing these guidelines, your Committee notes the testimony of the Community Alliance on Prisons recommending that inmates in work furlough, extended furlough, and community placement programs also benefit from assistance in obtaining important government documents.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by requiring the Department of Public Safety to begin the process of assisting inmates released to work furlough, extended furlough, and community placement programs at least ninety days prior to release.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 845, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 845, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair