STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1205

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1132

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1132, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM OVERSIGHT COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the term of the Oversight Coordinator for the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission;

(2) Require the Commission to publish a summary of an investigation and any action taken by the Commission in response;

(3) Authorize the Commission to hold a meeting closed to the public to discuss with the Oversight Coordinator a complaint investigated when necessary to maintain confidentiality, under certain conditions; and

(4) Broaden the Oversight Coordinator's power to make inquiries, obtain information, and inspect the premises of agencies and correctional facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Criminal Justice Research Institute, Community Alliance on Prisons, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Paroling Authority.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission was established to facilitate a transition to a rehabilitative and therapeutic model of corrections. Your Committee believes that broadening the Oversight Coordinator's power to make inquiries, obtain information, and inspect correctional facilities is necessary to achieve this goal. Additionally, extending the term of the Oversight Coordinator of the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission will allow the Oversight Coordinator to gain intimate knowledge of the State's correctional systems and develop working relationships with elected and appointed officials, private entities, and their staff. This measure will therefore help the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission to achieve its goal of transitioning the correctional system to a rehabilitative and therapeutic model.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring members of the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate;

(2) Amending the Oversight Coordinator's term to four years; and

(3) 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 and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1132, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1132, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair