STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2797

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2637

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2637 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to help improve post-incarceration outcomes for female offenders in the State.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires that a community-based work furlough program be among the gender-responsive, community-based programs developed by the Department of Public Safety and made available to female offenders, and that these programs be made available to all female offenders; and

(2) Appropriates moneys to the Department of Public Safety to ensure the continuation and expansion of community-based work furlough for all incarcerated women.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, YWCA Oahu, Community Alliance on Prisons, Institute for Human Services, Women's Prison Project, Hawaii Women Lawyers, ACLU of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the funding provided by this measure will allow a greater number of women to participate in community-based work furlough programs, which help to reduce recidivism by providing reentry support and transitional training in areas such as job readiness and job retention.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making a technical nonsubstantive amendment for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2637, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2637, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair