STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2173-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.C.R. No. 60

S.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 60, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE FINDINGS OF THE PROOF OF CONCEPT STUDY TITLED BREAKING CYCLES: ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF REHABILITATION AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON OʻAHU,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide an update on the findings of the proof-of-concept study "Breaking Cycles: Alternative Models of Rehabilitation and Restorative Justice on Oʻahu".

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Correctional System Oversight Commission; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi; Correctional Reform Working Group; and Community Alliance on Prisons. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Your Committee finds that the State is actively working to transform its unified correctional system into a rehabilitative, restorative, and reentry-focused system that reduces recidivism and promotes safer communities. Your Committee further finds that in February 2025, the University of Hawaii Community Design Center released the in-depth "Breaking Cycles: Alternative Models of Rehabilitation and Restorative Justice on Oʻahu" study (Breaking Cycles Study), which included key concepts on justice-system reform, along with facility planning and design elements to consider in planning a new Oahu Community Correctional Center but did not include a completed design, required funding, or implementation plan. This measure seeks to obtain information from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation about the progress made since the release of the Breaking Cycles Study.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 60, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair