STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2939

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1984

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1984, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the consumption of liquor on any public sidewalk or in the common area of a public housing project.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by twenty-five private citizens.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Police Department of the City and County of Honolulu.

 

     Your Committee finds that the public consumption of liquor on the sidewalks and common areas of public housing projects promotes attendant illicit activities including drug use and gang violence that terrorize residents and surrounding communities.  A prohibition on public liquor consumption would promote the safety and welfare of public housing tenants and community residents.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the time frame of 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. from the prohibition on liquor consumption in any common area of a public housing project; and

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2008.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1984, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1984, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

 

 

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair