STAND. COM. REP. NO.  129-22

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2022

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2258

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans, to which was referred H.B. No. 2258 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission to provide oversight over state correctional facilities that incarcerate women, receive and investigate complaints from incarcerated women, monitor the criminal justice system's progress in implementing reforms, and monitor programs and data that are important to ensuring successful outcomes for women in the correctional system; and

 

     (2)  Appropriate funds for the Commission's operations, including the hiring of necessary staff.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Women's Prison Project and Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, and Department of Budget and Finance.

 

     Your Committee finds that the duties and responsibilities that would be assigned to the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission are encompassed by the statutory responsibilities of the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission but are specifically targeted to incarcerated females.  In addition, the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission would be attached to the Department of Public Safety rather than the Department of the Attorney General.

 

     Your Committee further finds that the oversight provided by the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission would focus on effective gender-responsive enhancements and reforms.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2258, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2258, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Corrections, Military, & Veterans,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

TAKASHI OHNO, Chair