HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1129
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to incarcerated women.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in August 2021, Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice was awarded $250,000 from the governor's emergency education relief fund. The moneys were part of more than $8,000,000 allocated to the State for purposes of education through the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The award funded the first year of an education and reentry program for incarcerated women developed and administered by Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice, in partnership with the women's community correctional center, windward community college, the university of Hawaii at Manoa, and McKinley community school for adults. The goal of the program is to train incarcerated women to be general education development tutors for their peers, provide college correspondence courses for women in the women's community correctional center, and provide reentry and transition services for women who wish to continue their educations post‑incarceration.

The legislature further finds that in 2022, the legislature attempted to fund the second year of the pilot program by making a $200,000 appropriation to McKinley community school for adults. However, McKinley community school did not develop and does not directly administer the program. As of November 1, 2022, the appropriated moneys had not been distributed. Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice has continued to administer the program through a private donation while awaiting access to the appropriated funding.

The legislature recognizes that the program has been successful at assisting incarcerated women in achieving their educational goals and has increased passage rates for the general educational development test. In ten months, the program assisted twenty women who were incarcerated at the women's community correctional center in obtaining general educational development certifications. Prior to the program, approximately two women per year who were incarcerated in the same facility passed the exam.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate moneys for the education and reentry program for incarcerated women, developed and administered by Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $225,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the education and reentry program for incarcerated women, developed and administered by Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii Windward community college for the purposes of this Act; provided that the university of Hawaii Windward community college may award grants to a private entity to achieve the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

UH; Education; Incarcerated Women; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates moneys to the University of Hawaii Windward Community College for the education and reentry program for incarcerated women developed and administered by Hawaii Friends of Restorative Justice. Authorizes the University of Hawaii Windward Community College to award grants to a private entity.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.