STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2320

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2345

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2345 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN AND FAMILY OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Human Services to work with the Department of Public Safety to establish a pilot visitation and family resource center at Waiawa correctional facility.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Department of Human Services, Office of Youth Services, Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Community Alliance on Prisons, Blueprint for Change, Hawaii Children's Action Network, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Adult Friends for Youth, and twelve individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that children of incarcerated parents are some of the nation's most vulnerable and marginalized populations and are more likely to be incarcerated themselves as teenagers or adults.  Approximately four thousand children a year are affected by parental incarceration.  Your Committees further find that parental incarceration is noted as a strong risk factor and determinant for many adverse outcomes for children, including antisocial and violent behavior, mental health problems, failure to graduate from school, and employment.  Your Committees note that opportunities for incarcerated parents to have meaningful in-person contact visits with their children are increasingly being restricted.  This measure will help families with an incarcerated member by establishing a place for family visitation at Waiawa correctional facility.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2345 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Human Services,

 

________________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair