STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1449

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.C.R. No. 104

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 104 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE JUDICIARY TO ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP TO EVALUATE AND RECOMMEND METHODS TO STREAMLINE COURT-ORDERED FORENSIC EVALUATIONS AND TO DELIVER APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT TO PRETRIAL DETAINEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to expedite the process by which pretrial detainees are evaluated for competency, and are able to receive mental health services, when appropriate.

The Hawaii Disability Rights Center and Hawaii Government Employees Association testified in support of this concurrent resolution. The Judiciary supported the intent of the measure, and provided comments.

Your Committee finds that there is a need to assure that appropriate mental health services are available to pretrial detainees, and provided at the earliest possible stage of the criminal justice process, and that a working group within the Judiciary is an appropriate first step in that direction.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 104 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair