STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1337-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3295

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3295, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission to:

(A) Provide oversight over state correctional facilities and community correctional centers that incarcerate women;

(B) Receive and investigate complaints from incarcerated women;

(C) Monitor the criminal justice system's progress in implementing reforms; and

(D) Provide oversight over other programs and monitor and review data that is important to ensuring successful outcomes for women in the correctional system;

(2) Require annual reports to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission's operations, including the hiring of necessary staff.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Women's Prison Project and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Public Safety, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that many aspects of the State's criminal justice system are not designed to meet the needs of women who have different needs and experience different barriers to success than men. This measure will establish a commission with oversight responsibilities that are focused on women-specific issues to improve successful outcomes for women in the correctional system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the expending agency for the appropriation to fund the Women's Corrections Implementation Commission's operations, including the hiring of necessary staff, from the Commission to the Judiciary; and

(2) 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3295, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3295, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair