STAND. COM. REP. NO. 742

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 491

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 491 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds as a grant-in-aid to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for the Career Criminal Prosecution Unit.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaii, and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu.

 

     Your Committee finds that supporting a strong and effective prosecutor's office is vital to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public.  In 1979, the Legislature created the Career Criminal Prosecution Program to address the problem of "career criminals" who are responsible for a disproportionate number of the serious crimes committed against the public.  This program has been effective in assisting county prosecutors' offices in delivering swift and effective justice.

 

     Your Committee notes that the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu has stated that the current balance necessary to maintain the program at its current level of operation within the department is $492,125.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 491, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 491, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair