STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1026-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 3126

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3126, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRISONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a working group within the Department of Public Safety and a four-year pilot program designed to reduce recidivism by providing inmates with business and financial literacy skills and education to allow them to succeed in the workforce, as well as to appropriate funds for the program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Community Alliance on Prisons, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that skills development and education that can be provided to inmates that will smooth their transition upon release and allow them to successfully integrate into society will reduce recidivism, which in turn can help to alleviate the overcrowding of the State's correctional facilities. However, while your Committee finds that such a pilot program has merit, establishing one at this time may be premature.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the establishment of the four-year pilot program, and instead, having the working group study the feasibility of establishing a pilot program designed to reduce recidivism by focusing on providing inmates with not only business, entrepreneurial, and financial literacy education, but also vocational training;

(2) Requiring that the working group include a representative of the University of Hawaii;

(3) Removing the requirement of periodic reports, and requiring a single report of the working group's recommendations to the Legislature prior to the regular session of 2021, with the working group ceasing to exist on December 31, 2020;

(4) Removing the appropriation for the pilot program; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3126, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3126, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair