STAND. COM. REP. 2738

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.B. No. 2349

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2349, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Child-Friendly Visitation Center Task Force (Task Force) to develop a pilot project that facilitates child visitation for incarcerated parents at a state correctional facility.

Your Committee finds that, when parents are arrested and incarcerated, the impact on their children is tremendous. These children are likely to develop psychological problems and experience grief, guilt, shame, or fear. School performance often declines and truancy, substance abuse, and aggressive behavior may increase.

It is difficult for parents to maintain relationships with their children while incarcerated, particularly in Hawaii. Nearly one-quarter of Hawaii's prisoners are held in privately operated out-of-state facilities. Visitation procedures can be frightening to children. Providing a play area with toys and books would create a more family-friendly atmosphere and enable parents to maintain bonds with their children.

Your Committee has amended the measure by:

(1) Replacing the term "prison facility" with the more appropriate term "state correctional facility";

(2) Requiring that prior to acting upon any recommendation for the pilot project's implementation, the Department of Public Safety obtain legislative approval through the adoption of a concurrent resolution;

(3) Adding a representative from the Community Assistance Center to the Task Force;

(4) Changing the effective date from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2349, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2349, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair