STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1244

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1152

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1152, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMITTED PERSONS' ACCOUNTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify certain aspects of accounts maintained by the Department of Public Safety for inmates.

 

Specifically, this measure clarifies that:

 

(1)  The Department of Public Safety may maintain more than one account per committed person;

 

(2)  The funds held in financial institutions will be placed in non-interest bearing accounts; and

 

(3)  No interest will be paid to the committed person from the funds held by the Department.

 

     This measure also:

 

(1)  Allows the Director of Public Safety to designate a percentage of all funds earned by the committed person while in custody to be deposited and held in a nonspendable account to ensure that the committed person will have funds upon release; and

 

(2)  Requires the Department to:

 

(A)  Provide quarterly accounting statements to all committed persons held in custody for over one quarter of the year; and

 

(B)  Conduct annual audits on all committed persons' accounts.

 

     This measure takes effect on July 1, 2030.

 

     Your Committee received one written comment on this measure.  The written comment may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that it is important to clarify the State's obligations with regard to accounts opened by the Department of Public Safety for the purpose of maintaining committed persons' funds.

 

     Your Committee further finds that this measure will benefit from further discussion.

 

     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 H.B. No. 1152, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair