STAND. COM. REP. NO. 173

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1491

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred S.B. No. 1491 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide a revenue source to fund investigations and the operation of an independent forensic drug laboratory for narcotics enforcement.

 

     Specifically, this measure expands the permitted use of funds from the Controlled Substance Registration Revolving Fund to include offsetting the cost of investigation of violations and funding the Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division's forensic drug laboratory facility.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Public Safety and the Honolulu Police Department.

 

     Your Committee finds that an independent forensic drug laboratory is necessary to maintain the integrity of investigations and keep up with the ever-expanding role of the Narcotics Enforcement Division in investigations involving controlled substances and the associated requirements of subsequent forensic drug analysis.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1491 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair