CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 122-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2309

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2309, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INCARCERATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to reduce recidivism rates in the State and increase productivity in affected communities by establishing and appropriating funds for an array of diversion, reentry, and rehabilitation services and programs within the State, including the following:

(1) A pilot program to allow minor children to remain with their mothers while the mothers are participating in therapeutic, drug treatment, or other residential programs, to be administered by the Judiciary;

(2) A comprehensive recidivism prevention pilot program within the Judiciary, including a housing voucher program, child care voucher program, and employer income tax credit program;

(3) An offender reset program within the Department of Public Safety to provide offenders pre- and post-release assistance to support their reentry, rehabilitation, and employment;

(4) Diversion, reentry, and rehabilitation services and programs within the State, as they relate to offenders who are in the Department of Public Safety's custody and control, or under the jurisdiction of the Judiciary or Hawaii Paroling Authority; and

(5) Services and programs within the State for formerly incarcerated persons exiting jails and prisons, with a special focus on housing, human services, and health.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the pilot programs, offender reset program, and appropriations for services and programs under the Judiciary and Department of Human Services;

(2) Appropriating funds to support diversion, reentry, and rehabilitation services and programs within the State, as follows:

(A) For the purchase of identification card machines to assist offenders while they are in the Department of Public Safety's custody and control in obtaining identifying documentation that is essential to their reentry upon release, to be expended by the Department of Public Safety;

(B) For the development and maintenance of community housing for parolees to support their reentry into the community and their rehabilitation, to be expended by the Hawaii Paroling Authority; and

(C) For a forensic peer specialist program to assess and treat incarcerated individuals with behavioral, mental, and substance abuse issues, to be expended by the Department of Health;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2022; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2309, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2309, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA Chair	____________________________ TAKASHI OHNO Co-Chair
____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Co-Chair	____________________________ SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI Co-Chair
	____________________________ BERTRAND KOBAYASHI Co-Chair