STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3083

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2457

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2457, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Expand the requirement that the Department of Law Enforcement pursue and obtain accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., to all divisions and sections within the Department; and

(2) Establish five Commission Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. coordinator positions, exempt from civil service, within the Department of Law Enforcement.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement and State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.

Your Committee finds that Act 278, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, established a new Department of Law Enforcement to consolidate and administer state criminal law enforcement and investigations functions for the purpose of providing the highest level of law enforcement service for the public, state employees, and state properties by centralizing state law enforcement functions. Your Committee recognizes that it is critical to increase public safety, improve decision-making, promote accountability, streamline communication, decrease costs, reduce duplication of efforts, and provide uniform training and standards within the Department of Law Enforcement. This measure seeks to support the Department of Law Enforcement with these public safety goals by helping the Department to achieve accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2042, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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. 2457, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2457, 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 and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair