STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2667

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2030

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2030 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for purchasing body cameras for adult correctional officers to wear while on duty at state correctional facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, Libertarian Party of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO and one individual.

Your Committee finds that body cameras promote transparency in correctional facilities and protect inmates against misconduct by correctional officers. Additionally, body cameras can provide a valuable defense in costly lawsuits targeting correctional officers. Recognizing the benefits of body cameras, not only to inmates, but also to correctional officers, several other states have either already adopted body camera requirements for correctional officers or intend to adopt body camera requirements for correctional officers.

Your Committee further finds, however, that department-wide deployment of body cameras and body camera requirements will require significant time and consideration. Most notably, policies requiring the use of body cameras are subject to union consultation. Your Committee also notes the testimony of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which requests additional time to develop data storage capacity, acquire necessary equipment, and engage in consultation with the relevant union representatives.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by requiring on-duty adult correctional officers to use body cameras on or after July 1, 2027.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2030, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2030, 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 Military Affairs,

________________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair