STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3233

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2349

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2349, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all state correctional facilities to provide each inmate with the opportunity for a minimum of two contact visits per week, with each visit lasting at least one hour.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, Hawai‘i Friends of Restorative Justice, Hawaii Justice Coalition, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and seven individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Public Safety.

Your Committee finds that contact visitation is an important tool for reducing recidivism of incarcerated individuals as the ability to maintain meaningful connections with family members can enable better psychological well-being, reduce behavioral infractions, lessen frequent violent behavior, and provide for easier reintegration into society. Your Committee further finds that the benefits of contact visitations with family members, particularly children, can help to strengthen the parent-child relationship while reducing the trauma children may experience when separated from a parent. This measure codifies and reaffirms that contact visitation shall be the policy and practice at all state correctional facilities, in accordance with recognized best practices in criminal justice.

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. 2349, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair