HONOLULU

June 20, 2003

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIONS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 298

Honorable Members

Twenty-Second Legislature

State of Hawaii

Pursuant to Section 16 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii, I am returning herewith, without my approval, House Bill No. 298, entitled "A Bill for an Act Relating to Correctional Facilities."

The purpose of this bill is to direct the executive branch to initiate the process to develop a replacement facility for the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) on the undeveloped portion of the Halawa Correctional Facility (HCF) site.

This bill is objectionable because it prevents the consideration of alternative, possibly more appropriate, sites and because it requires expensive soil testing and a feasibility and planning study without appropriating any funds to do so. If the HCF site is later determined to be the best site upon which to construct a replacement facility for OCCC, existing laws already allow the administration to takes steps necessary to pursue that option. Accordingly, this bill is also unnecessary.

For the foregoing reasons, I am returning House Bill No. 298 without my approval.

Respectfully,

LINDA LINGLE

Governor of Hawaii