STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3365

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2383

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2383 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LESS THAN LETHAL FORCE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the rising number of fatal law enforcement officer-involved shootings in the State.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Public Safety to:

(A) Review and update, at least annually, its policies and procedures governing the use of force, weapons, and equipment;

(B) Equip each of its officers with less-than-lethal weapons and provide training therefor; and

(C) Report to the Legislature by November 1, 2021, on its progress toward compliance with the foregoing requirements;

(2) Requires the Law Enforcement Standards Board to review the Department's use of force training; and

(3) Appropriates to the Department $200,000 for less-than-lethal equipment and $200,000 for training and related records management.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Written comments in opposition were received from one individual.

The Department of Public Safety and Community Alliance on Prisons submitted written comments on the measure.

Your Committees find that a review of the Department of Public Safety's use of force polices, procedures, and training, as required by this measure, is a necessary step toward restoring the public's trust in public safety officers as guardians and protectors of people and communities in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount for less-than-lethal equipment to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2383, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2383, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair