STAND. COM. REP. NO. 320

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 404

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Tourism and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 404 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CORRECTIONS POPULATION MANAGEMENT COMMISSION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to add the Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and one member of the public who is knowledgeable about issues relating to the criminal justice system and has substantial experience or expertise in traditional Native Hawaiian practices to the Corrections Population Management Commission.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, and three individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Center for Hawaiian Sovereignty Studies.

 

     Your Committees find that in 2011, the Legislature established a task force to formulate policies and procedures to eliminate the disproportionate representation of Native Hawaiians in Hawaii's criminal justice system.  The Corrections Population Management Commission, which is administratively attached to the Department of Public Safety, is an appropriate agency to conduct this examination because the Commission is devoted to finding solutions to improve Hawaii's criminal justice system.  By including the Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and a member of the public who is well-versed in Native Hawaiian traditions in the Commission, this measure will ensure that the active voice of the Native Hawaiian community is heard when addressing criminal justice policies and programs.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Tourism and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 404 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Tourism and Hawaiian Affairs,

 

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BRICKWOOD GALUTERIA, Chair

 

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WILL ESPERO, Chair