STAND. COM. REP. NO.  329

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1295

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred H.B. No. 1295 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a temporary Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform (Commission) to:

     (1)  Develop a statewide plan of sentencing and corrections policies that would reduce the State's prison population by twenty-five per cent by year 2025, reduce spending on corrections, and reinvest the savings in strategies that increase public safety and reduce recidivism; and

     (2)  Review and recommend the relocation of a prison or correctional facility to comply with federal guidelines for the health and welfare of the inmate population and to modernize the prison or correctional facility.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Hawaii Innocence Project, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  Two concerned individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Ho'omana Pono, LLC., and a concerned individual offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the Commission's specific targets regarding the reduction of the State's prison population;

     (2)  Revising the Commission membership and designating the Chief Justice as the chairperson of the Commission;

     (3)  Clarifying the purpose and focus of the Commission;

     (4)  Clarifying that the Commission, with the assistance of the Legislative Reference Bureau, shall submit a report to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of Regular Session of 2019;

     (5)  Changing the effective date to September 1, 2017; and

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1295, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1295, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair