STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1281

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 1039

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1039, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure, as received by your Committee, is to:

     (1)  Require the Department of Public Safety (Department), working with appropriate federal, state, and county agencies, to provide qualified inmates with their important government documents, including a social security card, driver's license, civil identification card, or birth certificate to assist in their successful reentry into society; and

     (2)  Make an appropriation for these purposes.

The Department of Public Safety, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, YWCA Oahu, and many individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Health testified in opposition.  The Department of Transportation and City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services provided comments.

     Your Committee amended this measure by replacing its contents with H.B. No. 845, H.D. 2, which was heard by your Committee on February 1, 2017, the purpose of which is similar to this measure.  As amended, this measure requires the Department, in collaboration with appropriate federal, state, and county agencies, to inform qualified inmates that assistance is available, and upon the request of an inmate, the Department shall:

     (1)  Issue civil identification cards to the inmates; and

     (2)  Assist inmates in obtaining their birth certificate, social security card, and other relevant identification.

Your Committee has further amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1039, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1039, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair