STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1062-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2248

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2248, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that aging or seriously ill prisoners who pose a low risk to public safety are no longer punished through imprisonment by creating a medical or "compassionate" release program for certain ill, disabled, and geriatric inmates.  Specifically, this measure, among other things:

 

     (1)  Requires the Department of Public Safety to assess and refer inmates to the Hawaii Paroling Authority for possible medical release;

 

     (2)  Provides that an inmate in the custody of the Department shall be eligible to be considered for medical release if the inmate meets specified criteria under certain procedures;

 

     (3)  Requires the Hawaii Paroling Authority to set reasonable conditions on an inmate's medical release; and

 

     (4)  Requires the Hawaii Paroling Authority to promptly order an inmate returned to custody of the Department to await a revocation hearing if credible information that an inmate has failed to comply with any reasonable condition set upon the inmate's release has been received.

 

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Public Safety testified in opposition to this measure.  The Hawaii Paroling Authority provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2248, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2248, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair