HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

601

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that, according to 2010 census data, Hawaii island has the highest per capita incidence of impaired driving cases of all the counties in the State.  Hawaii island accounts for 13.6 per cent of the population of the State, but accounts for twenty-five per cent of the State's impaired driving cases.

On Oahu, a driving while impaired (DWI) court started in 2013, and has proven effective in providing treatment and reducing recidivism rates of the individuals who chose to participate.  DWI court programs are post-conviction programs that utilize intensive supervision and long-term treatment methods to change the behavior of repeat impaired driving offenders.  The DWI court programs employ the strategies of close supervision, frequent alcohol and other drug testing, and ongoing judicial interaction to integrate treatment services into the justice system.

The DWI court program has a zero per cent recidivism rate for subsequent impaired driving arrests of those who have graduated the program, while traditional forms of punishment for DWI offenses resulted in a twenty per cent recidivism rate for subsequent impaired driving arrests among those individuals who elected not to participate.  Traditional punishments are ineffective deterrents for repeat offenders without the treatment and accountability provided by DWI court.

The purpose of this Act is to minimize the recidivism rate of impaired drivers by establishing the DWI court program in Kona and Hilo on Hawaii island.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2017-2018 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 to establish driving while impaired courts in circuit courts of the third circuit, specifically the Kona courthouse and Hilo courthouse on Hawaii island.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the judiciary for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Judiciary; Driving While Impaired Courts; Hawaii Island; Appropriation

 

Description:

Makes an appropriation to establish driving while impaired courts in Kona and Hilo on Hawaii island.

 

 

 

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