STAND. COM. REP. NO. 500

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 207

       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 Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 207 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Public Safety to report the death of an inmate or correctional facility employee, to the Legislature, within twenty-four hours.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by four private organizations and five individuals.  Testimony in opposition of this measure was submitted by one state agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that prompt notification of a death at a correctional facility or center and the causes thereof enables the Legislature to ensure the accountability of correctional facilities or centers for actions and events taking place on their premises.  Your Committee also finds that reporting of a death within twenty-four hours assists the Legislature in establishing policies and practices for implementation by the Department of Public Safety to prevent similar deaths from occurring.  Your Committee further finds that this measure assists in the investigation of the death and timely reporting to family members or next of kin.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 207, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 207, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair