STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1596-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2949

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2949, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide the Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) the authority to investigate out-of-state, private, or federal correctional facilities that have contracts with the Department of Public Safety to house Hawaii inmates.

The Community Alliance on Prisons, A Woman's Voice International, and many concerned individuals supported the bill. Several concerned individuals supported this bill with amendments. The Ombudsman offered comments and amendments to this measure.

Your Committee notes that several amendments were offered by the Ombudsman to better clarify the intent of the measure and the role of the Ombudsman. The amendments suggested, however, are beyond the purview of your Committee on Finance. Your Committee believes that many of these suggestions merit further discussion by the subject matter committees as the bill moves through the legislative process.

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 S.B. No. 2949, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

 

____________________________

DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Chair