REPORT Title:

Law Enforcement; Drug Nuisance Abatement Unit; Appropriations

Description:

Appropriates funds to the department of the attorney general to support the activities of the drug nuisance abatement unit.  Effective date is July 1, 2007.  (HB1614 CD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1614
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		H.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 2
		C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO DRUGS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that, since the formation of the drug nuisance abatement unit of the department of the attorney general in July 2003, the unit has performed well in abating drug nuisances by directly and informally working with the owners of buildings to remove drug dealers and by filing civil lawsuits that seek to prohibit drug dealers from remaining in drug houses.  Of the one thousand one hundred ninety-two complaints received by the department of the attorney general from the community about illegal drug activities and drug houses since 2003, six hundred forty-five cases have been closed due to the efforts of the unit.  Among the accomplishments of the unit are:

     (1)  Improving coordination with other law enforcement agencies;

     (2)  Decreasing the backlog of complaints;

     (3)  Increasing the number of drug nuisance abatements; and

     (4)  Raising community awareness of the drug nuisance abatement process.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to continue the enforcement and prosecution of drug nuisance abatement laws.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $150,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 to fund 1.5 investigator positions and 1.0 clerk typist position for salaries and other costs for these positions in the drug nuisance abatement unit of the department of attorney general.

    The sum appropriated shall be expended by the drug nuisance abatement unit of the department of the attorney general for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.