STAND. COM. REP. NO.  929-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2515

      H.D. 3

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIME,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to address three areas needing improvement in Hawaii's criminal justice and corrections systems—the sentencing of felony drug offenders, probation terms for offenders, and the threshold amount for felony theft—by:

 

(1)  Permitting a sentence of probation for certain second-time drug offenders;

 

(2)  Reducing the probation period from five years to three years for individuals convicted for Class B and Class C felonies that are not related to criminal homicide, sexual offenses, child abuse, offenses against the family and against incompetents, and prostitution offenses; and

 

(3)  Increasing the threshold valuation for theft in the second degree from more than $300 to more than $750.

 

     The Governor, Department of Public Safety, Crime Victim Compensation Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaii; Honolulu Police Department; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Hawaii Food Industry Association; DFS Hawaii; ABC Stores; Times Supermarkets; Waikiki Beach Activities, Ltd.; and several individuals opposed this measure.  The Judiciary, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, and an individual commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Prior to granting early discharge to a defendant, requiring the defendant's probation officer to report to the court concerning the defendant's compliance or non-compliance with the conditions of probation; and

 

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.  

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 3.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair