STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1756-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.R. No. 183

H.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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.R. No. 183 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COURT SECURITY AND DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC STAFFING SHORTAGES, EXPANDED STATUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE ESCALATING FISCAL AND ACCOUNTABILITY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTING AT STATE COURTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a Court Security and Department of Law Enforcement Capacity Working Group to address chronic staffing shortages, growing responsibilities, and financial and accountability risks tied to the State’s increasing dependence on private security at court facilities. The group will examine how to realign staffing levels within the Department of Law Enforcement to meet its expanded duties, improve Deputy Sheriff recruitment and retention, and reduce long-term reliance on costly private security contracts. It will also evaluate court security needs, fiscal impacts, and accountability concerns, ultimately providing recommendations and potential legislation to the Legislature before the 2027 session.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State of Hawaii Judiciary and the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Your Committee finds that even as the Sheriff Division of the Department of Law Enforcement has expanded the scope and complexity of its responsibilities in recent years, the Department is also experiencing persistent vacancies, extended hiring timelines, academy throughput constraints, and compensation disparities. This has affected the Hawaii State Judiciary's ability to maintain consistent, publicly staffed security coverage at state court facilities and the Judiciary has had to increasingly rely on contracted private security personnel. Creating a Court Security and Department of Law Enforcement working group is vital to ensuring the core sovereign function of protecting State courts is met.Your Committee further notes that any funds appropriated pursuant to this measure are intended to supplement, and not supplant, existing budget allocations, and respectfully defers the evaluation of fiscal implications to the subsequent committee, should it choose to hear this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that requests the Court Security and Department of Law Enforcement Capacity Working Group to invite and include additional individuals with relevant expertise or operational responsibilities to serve as working group members as the chair or co-chairs deem appropriate.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 183, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 183, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair