STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3315

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2309

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2309, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INCARCERATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to reduce recidivism rates in the State and increase productivity in affected communities by appropriating moneys for the development and maintenance of diversion, reentry, and rehabilitation programs within the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Correctional System Oversight Commission, Judiciary, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Community Alliance on Prisons, YWCA O‘ahu, Going Home Hawaii, Women's Prison Project, Share Your Mana, Hawai‘i Friends of Restorative Justice, and eighteen individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Department of Human Services, and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that reentry programs that help people secure jobs, treatment, housing, and education have proven effective in facilitating the successful transition of formerly incarcerated people out of jails and prisons, and back to their families and communities. Moreover, comprehensive support services have been shown to reduce recidivism. This measure will reduce recidivism rates in the State and increase productivity in affected communities by appropriating moneys for the development and maintenance of diversion, reentry, and rehabilitation programs within the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Providing an appropriation for the Department of Human Services for the development and maintenance of diversion, reentry, and rehabilitation services and programs by non-profit organizations within the State to provide services to formerly incarcerated persons exiting jails and prisons, with a special focus on housing and human services;

(2) Providing an appropriation for the Department of Health for the development and maintenance of diversion, reentry, and rehabilitation services and programs by non-profit organizations within the State to provide services to formerly incarcerated persons exiting jails and prisons, with a special focus on health;

(3) Requiring state agencies and non-profit organizations that receive appropriations from this measure to submit a report to the Legislature detailing how the funds have been expended, the list of providers, how many people have been served, a description of services provided, and measurable outcomes; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2309, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2309, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair