STAND. COM. REP. NO.1266

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 177

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 177, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PRIVATELY-OPERATED CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure as referred to your Committees was to authorize the Governor to contract for private sector operation of correctional facilities.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety and the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce. The County of Hawaii, United Public Workers, and Hawaii Government Employees Association submitted testimony in opposition.

Your Committees support the concept of privately operated correctional facilities and amended this measure by replacing its contents with the contents of Senate Bill No. 81, S.D. 1 (S.B. No. 81).

The purpose of S.B. No. 81 is to allow the Governor to contract with the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH) for the development of facilities for a rehabilitation center capable of housing both minimum and medium security offenders, for the purpose of research into rehabilitation.

Your Committees find that the proposals contained in S.B. No. 81 are forward thinking steps in addressing the multitude of problems related to the States' prisons. This measure would also provide much needed treatment options. Your Committees find that RCUH is well equipped to administer this project, including choosing the correct contractors to construct the facilities and to develop the necessary rehabilitative programs.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 177, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 177, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations and Labor,

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BOB NAKATA, Chair

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CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair