HB1309

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that suicide is a major health concern. According to the World Health Organization, suicide claims approximately one million lives worldwide each year. The prevent suicide Hawaii task force stated in a 2018 report to the legislature that suicide was the most common cause of fatal injuries among residents in the State between 2012-2016, accounting for one-quarter of all fatal injuries. The legislature also finds that one person dies by suicide in the State every two days. Furthermore, the State's inmate suicide rate is the seventh highest in the nation, according to the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics. The legislature is concerned with the health, safety, and welfare of all of the people of the State, including inmates, military personnel, veterans, and visitors. The legislature finds that suicide prevention issues must be addressed within the State's correctional system.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a suicide prevention task force to examine, evaluate, and determine methods to improve education, awareness, support services, and inmate outreach to best prevent suicides in state correctional facilities.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established a suicide prevention task force to be placed within the department of health for administrative purposes. The suicide prevention task force shall examine, evaluate, and determine methods to improve education, awareness, support services, and inmate outreach to best prevent suicides in state correctional facilities.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members, who shall serve until January 1, 2026:

(1) The director of health or the director's designee, who shall serve as a co-chair of the task force;

(2) The director of public safety or the director's designee, who shall serve as a co-chair of the task force;

(3) One member to be appointed by the governor;

(4) Two members who are former inmates and have attempted suicide, to be appointed by the governor;

(5) One member of the senate to be appointed by the president of the senate;

(6) One member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(7) One member from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns school of medicine's department of psychiatry, to be appointed by the dean of the school; and

(8) One member from the alcohol and drug abuse division of the department of health.

(1) The president of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Hawaii Chapter;

(2) The chair of the board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Hawaii Chapter;

(3) The community liaison of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Hawaii Chapter; and

(4) One member to be appointed by the director or president of Mental Health America of Hawaii.

(d) All appointees shall have expertise related to suicide prevention and education or awareness of suicide prevention.

(e) Any vacant position on the task force shall be filled in the manner provided for the position's original appointment.

(f) The initial meeting of the task force shall occur no later than thirty days after the effective date of this Act, during which the members shall elect two vice chairs, and any other necessary officers from among the appointed members. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum to do business.

(g) The task force shall meet no less than quarterly. The task force may hold additional public meetings as it deems necessary. The co-chairs, at the request of a majority of members, may request special meetings.

(h) To ensure that task force meetings are time- and cost-efficient, the task force may meet virtually using virtual meeting software.

(i) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their duties as members of the commission. No member of the task force shall be subject to section 84-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, solely because of that member's participation on the task force. The task force shall be exempt from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(j) No employee of the state serving as a member of the task force shall attend meetings of the task force during work hours; provided that the employee may attend meetings of the task force during the employee's meal breaks or periods in which the employee is using compensatory time off.

(k) The task force shall submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2022. The task force shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, which shall include a strategic plan to reduce the number of suicides in Hawaii's correctional facilities, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

(l) The task force shall terminate on July 1, 2026.

SECTION 3. It is not the intent of the legislature for this Act to jeopardize the receipt of any federal aid. If this Act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition for the allocation of federal funds to the State, this Act shall be deemed void.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021, and shall repealed on January 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1309
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII