Transcript Highlights:

• Safety that are actually incarcerated Safety that are actually incarcerated and<00:10:36.519>
• incarceration and wellness for our staff.
• <00:13:38.079> and wellness during incarceration and wellness during incarceration and wellness
• So, um, it's still of low number incarceration.
• was that the number of incarcerated was that the number of incarcerated people<00:22:03.760>

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee reviewed the Department of Corrections budget, with the chair initially noting that the overall numbers looked close to fiscal year 2024 spending, except for federal funds. Department officials explained that prior ARPA expenditures and delayed revenue recognition had distorted the comparison, and that the corrected general fund spend was about $169.7 million. Members then focused on whether the budget’s staffing assumptions were realistic, especially the shift from overtime to full-time lines and the use of vacant positions to offset overtime costs. The department said it is leaning on vacancy savings, but would return for additional appropriations if unforeseen staffing problems arise. A major portion of the discussion centered on recruitment, retention, and staffing levels. Officials reported a 42% vacancy rate in enforcement ranks, down from 51% in January 2023, with 28 new officers headed to the next academy and 33 new hires already tracked. They said overtime is more expensive than regular staffing because of benefits and that it takes about 11 months for a new hire to break even. Members also asked about the split between incarcerated and supervised populations; the department said it oversees about 1,970 inmates in facilities and just over 4,000 people in the community, with 77 positions supervising the community population and the inmate population remaining the most expensive area. The committee also discussed how sentencing and statutory changes affect incarceration levels, including misdemeanor/felony thresholds and theft thresholds, with the department agreeing that such changes can significantly affect prison and jail populations. Members asked about education and recidivism, and the department said base education is the most important foundation, followed by vocational training, while noting that many incarcerated men lack a high school diploma. The department also described a $1.3 million reduction in contracted forensic evaluation services, explaining that these evaluations are court-ordered competency assessments and are not statutorily required to be provided by DOC. Finally, members reviewed victim services funding and staffing, including VOCA-supported positions, and the department explained that a new victim witness specialist would help support survivors at parole hearings and safety planning.

Transcript Highlights:

• Probation does not incarcerate. The court incarcerates.
• Those are not incarcerated 707B offenders. And so I don't understand that.
• out and they can deliver the message of why they should not be incarcerated.
• He was a formerly incarcerated firefighter, fought a lot of fires.
• California has relied on incarcerated firefighters since 1915.

Summary: The committee heard several public safety measures, with extensive testimony on firearms regulation, disability and sexual assault, mental health diversion, emergency response, and law enforcement masking. SB 704 by Senator Arreguín would require firearm barrels to be purchased through licensed dealers with a background check, as a response to the rise in ghost guns and 3D-printed firearms; supporters said barrels are a key component of untraceable guns, while opponents argued the bill burdens lawful gun owners and does little to stop criminals. SB 258 by Senator Wahab would eliminate the remaining spousal rape exception for victims unable to consent because of disability; supporters called it a needed closure of an archaic loophole, while disability-rights advocates opposed it unless amended, warning it could worsen misunderstandings about capacity to consent and harm disabled people’s autonomy. After debate, SB 258 passed the committee on a due-pass motion to Appropriations, with several members voting aye and the bill held on call. Senator Umberg presented SB 398, which closes a loophole in the law prohibiting paying or offering money or other value to induce someone to vote or register to vote; there was little opposition, and the bill passed on a due-pass motion to Appropriations and was held on call. He also presented SB 27, a CARE Court cleanup measure that would allow certain misdemeanor defendants found incompetent to stand trial to be routed into CARE Court and would expand eligibility to some people with mood disorders with psychotic features. Supporters said it would improve access to treatment and reduce unnecessary incarceration, while county behavioral health directors and disability advocates warned it could blur the line between voluntary civil treatment and coercive criminal proceedings and expand CARE Court beyond its intended scope. SB 27 passed on a due-pass motion as amended to Appropriations. The committee also heard SB 36 from Senator Umberg, a price-gouging measure tied to wildfire-related emergency conditions that also expands search-warrant authority for certain misdemeanor investigations. Public defenders opposed the search-warrant expansion as unnecessary, while a late supporter from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spoke in favor; the bill was moved on a due-pass motion as amended to Appropriations and held on call. SB 571 by Senator Arreguín would increase penalties for impersonating emergency personnel and related conduct during disasters; supporters cited post-fire looting and impersonation, while opponents argued longer sentences do not deter crime and that existing law is sufficient. The bill passed on a due-pass motion as amended to Appropriations and was held on call. Finally, Senator Wiener presented SB 627, which would prohibit law enforcement from wearing extreme masks except in limited circumstances, aimed largely at masked federal immigration enforcement operations. Supporters said masked, unidentified officers create fear and undermine trust, while law enforcement groups argued the bill wrongly sweeps in local officers, is too broad, and should instead target federal agents or impersonators. Testimony was still underway when the transcript ended, and no final committee action on SB 627 is shown here.

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:32:11.679> The<00:32:11.919> deferred incarcerated individuals.
• The deferred incarcerated individuals.
• <00:32:25.919> individuals house those uh incarcerated individuals house those uh incarcerated
• I mentioned it's a 111-year-old facility that houses about incarcerated individuals.
• It is unsafe for both our corrections officers and for our incarcerated individuals.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Today, we will be discussing MAT services for incarcerated individuals, both youth and adults.
• Bernalillo County, and the program aims to provide wraparound services to youth who have been incarcerated
• However, with the caveat that even while incarcerated, if an eligible...
• So I just don't want to say there's no Medicaid while you're incarcerated.
• Short-term Medicaid for incarcerated individuals will cover you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• what this does is right now, if someone is sentenced to, uh, six months or more while they're incarcerated
• It also expands it to a whole other cohort of those that are incarcerated.
• , or more, uh, while they're incarcerated, or more, uh, while they're incarcerated, they<00:14:59.760
• <00:15:22.959> Those<00:15:23.120> that<00:15:23.360> are are incarcerated.
• Those that are are incarcerated.

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The juveniles who are going to be eligible for these services include incarcerated individuals in any
• Also, I want to mention that juveniles who have active Medicaid coverage when they become incarcerated
• Also, I want to mention that juveniles who have active Medicaid coverage when they become incarcerated
• It also includes coverage while the juvenile is still incarcerated of screening services so that they
• It also includes coverage while the juvenile is still incarcerated of screening services so that they

Summary: The committee first heard extensive public testimony from youth and advocates urging stronger restrictions on vaping. Speakers described vaping as a youth-targeted public health problem, citing flavored products, social media marketing, nicotine addiction, brain development concerns, school disruption, and exposure to harmful aerosol. They recommended prohibiting vaping in public indoor spaces and aligning vape rules with smoke-free laws. Committee members praised the speakers and encouraged them to continue building support for future legislation. The main presentation was on Arkansas’s Rural Health Transformation Program, administered through DFA. Secretary Jim Hudson and program director Brad Andi explained that Arkansas received about $209 million in the first year under the federal program, with potential for roughly $1 billion over five years if performance is strong. They emphasized that the program is meant for long-term rural health transformation, not general operating support, debt relief, or new construction. The state’s plan centers on four initiatives: HEART for prevention and community health, PACT for access and provider collaboration, RISE for workforce development, and THRIVE for technology and telehealth. Officials said applications will be handled through upcoming notices of funding opportunity, with a focus on local, shovel-ready projects, regional collaboration, and transparency. Committee members asked how the program would work for hospitals, clinics, nonprofits, schools, faith groups, and urban providers serving rural patients. Officials said eligibility is broad if applicants can show a connection to rural health, and that targeted renovations, mobile units, school-based clinics, farm-to-school or garden projects, EMS equipment, residency expansion, and behavioral health initiatives may fit if they align with the plan. They stressed that the program cannot fund working capital, routine maintenance, or new buildings, but can support repurposing space and collaborative networks. Members also raised concerns about protecting existing rural providers from being displaced, and officials said applications would be reviewed by a state committee with technical assistance and a reimbursement-based process. The committee then reviewed and took no objection to several DHS and Health Department rules. DHS presented a Medicaid/CHIP rule implementing federal requirements for incarcerated youth, including pre- and post-release coverage, care coordination, targeted case management, and screening services, with no public comments received. The Health Department also presented a licensing rule for audiology and speech pathology that implements recent acts and changes the renewal deadline; that rule was likewise reviewed without objection. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• , or to believe that there is a setting supporting sustainability while incarcerated.
• The truth is, it's not so if you are incarcerated in a state prison.
• The truth is, it's not so if you are incarcerated in a state prison.
• So I help with incarcerated ministries.
• stated before to annually incarcerate stated before to annually incarcerate one<01:27:10.800>

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The joint committees heard testimony on several measures. SB 2723, which would designate April 27 as State Sheriff’s Day, was supported by the Department of Law Enforcement and a long-serving sheriff, who described the historical roots of Hawaii’s sheriffs in the Kingdom of Hawaii and said the bill would recognize that legacy. HGA submitted written comments, and there was no opposition or vote taken on the measure during the excerpt. The committees then heard SB 17 on wildfire mitigation. The Public Utilities Commission, DLNR, the State Fire Council, OPSD, the Attorney General’s office, and Kamehameha Schools all testified, mostly in support of the bill’s intent but with suggested amendments. Several witnesses said the bill should better define the working group’s structure, staffing, and funding, and the Attorney General noted constitutional concerns about placing the group outside a principal department and pointed out possible overlap with Acts 302 and 303 from the prior year. Committee members questioned whether SB 17 duplicated earlier wildfire legislation, and witnesses generally said it did not directly conflict but overlapped with existing efforts. On SB 2358, which would require reimbursement for search-and-rescue costs when people leave trails and enter closed areas, the State Fire Council and the Hawaii SAR Alliance testified in opposition or caution, arguing that reimbursement could deter people from calling for help and that Hawaii’s SAR system still has structural and administrative gaps. A committee member asked whether other jurisdictions had used similar measures without discouraging rescues; the Fire Council said Kauai has a similar law but it has not resulted in invoices being sent. No action was taken in the excerpt. The final measure discussed was SB 2475 on Red Hill remediation funding and reimbursement from the Department of Defense. The Board of Water Supply, DLNR, and other testifiers supported the bill, emphasizing the need for long-term research, monitoring, and cleanup, while also noting the unique groundwater conditions and the importance of keeping the funds focused on Red Hill contamination response. Committee members asked about existing federal and state funding, whether the state had received any direct federal money, and what would happen if reimbursement is not obtained. DLNR said it was still working through the reimbursement mechanism and that some federal funding had gone to the Red Hill registry, but not directly to the state for this purpose.

Transcript Highlights:

• He served three days of the 90 days he was given for me, and he was released home on home incarceration
• <00:09:17.360> when then 90 days of Home incarceration when then 90 days of Home incarceration
• within 6 days he had incarceration within 6 days he had started<00:09:42.680> breaking<00:09:
• He's on home incarceration. But when does it stop? When do I get to actually sleep?
• He's on home incarceration. But when does it stop? When do I get to actually sleep?

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Judiciary Committee met for its first meeting, established a quorum, welcomed new members and guests, and announced that committee rules would be sent out later. The committee then took up House Bill 38, sponsored by Representative Tipton, which would increase the penalty for repeated violations of an order of protection. Under the committee substitute, a third violation of the same protective order could be charged as a Class D felony instead of a Class A misdemeanor. The substitute was adopted by voice vote. Representative Tipton said the bill was prompted by a constituent’s experience with repeated abuse and violations of protective orders, and he argued the change was needed to better protect the public. Maryanne Pratt testified in support of the bill, describing a long history of domestic violence, repeated violations of protective orders, stalking through calls and social media, and her fear for her safety. Several members expressed support and praised her courage. Questions focused on whether the bill would cover social media contact and on the committee substitute’s language requiring the same victim and same order. Representative Burke raised concern that the same-victim language could allow an abuser to victimize multiple partners without triggering the felony provision. Tipton said the original bill was broader, that the change was added because of concerns about reverse protective orders, and that the issue might be revisited in the Senate. Scott West, speaking for the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said the bill addressed some concerns but warned that the third-offense trigger could be based on technical contempt findings rather than violent conduct, and he noted that stalking already can be charged as a felony in some cases. The discussion continued on those concerns, but no final action on the bill beyond adoption of the committee substitute was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• I think is a good metaphor for also the work they do with formally incarcerated individuals.
• I think is a good metaphor for also the work they do with formally incarcerated individuals.
• They've been basically locked out of society because of their history of incarceration.
• They've been basically locked out of society because of their history of incarceration.
• They've been basically locked out of society because of their history of incarceration.

Bills: HF1355, HF1469, HF1768

Keywords: commercial diving, scuba diving safety, aquatic plant management, workplace safety, environmental regulations, HF1469, Minnesota, workforce development, job training, job skills training, reentry, reentry services, formerly incarcerated, ex-offenders, inmates, recently released inmates, felony conviction, felony-level offense, corrections, prison release

Transcript Highlights:

• Well, suppose we said 5 years after the release from incarceration.
• The other thing is, if you put that limitation on there and they're incarcerated like she said, what
• I appreciate the woman, I can't recall her name, talking about if someone's incarcerated and and all
• Um, I do think that there should be a level of incarceration as long as it's been within.
• In just this one section where people are incarcerated, But oh, child support that goes unpaid.

Bills: HB116

Keywords: film industry, incentives, economic development, state funding, media production

Transcript Highlights:

• of incarceration is rehabilitation.
• We want to have a codified system for those incarcerated.
• of incarceration is rehabilitation.
• We want to have a codified system for those incarcerated.
• We want to have a codified system for those incarcerated.

Keywords: 993, senate, all

Summary: The Senate convened, approved the prior journal, and then processed a series of motions to discharge bills from committees and substitute identical Senate bills, which were so ordered. Several bills were also recalled from the Assembly, had reconsideration votes taken, and were restored to the third reading calendar after receiving 58 ayes. Amendments were received on a number of bills, and those measures retained their place on the calendar. The main business of the day was Privileged Resolution 2318, sponsored by Leader Stewart-Cousins, honoring Senator Michael Gianaris with the President Pro Tempore and Senate Majority Leader’s Legislative Legacy Award. The resolution and floor remarks reviewed his long career in the Assembly and Senate, his role as Deputy Majority Leader and floor leader, and his work on housing, criminal justice, voting rights, labor, environmental, consumer, transit, animal welfare, and other major legislation. Members from both parties spoke at length, praising his strategic skill, mentorship, humor, and influence, while also noting his support for younger members and his commitment to family. Several senators described personal experiences showing Gianaris’s mentorship and political guidance, and many referenced his Greek American identity, Queens roots, and interests such as Star Wars and the Mets. Senators also emphasized that he was leaving on his own terms to spend more time with his wife and daughters. The resolution was adopted with broad support, and Gianaris then spoke in response, reflecting on nearly 30 years in state government, the major laws passed during his tenure, and the relationships he built in the chamber.

Transcript Highlights:

• not sustainable, both from an infrastructure standpoint and from a safety standpoint for both incarcerated
• there as they're implementing this closure and also that they have a plan for the people who are incarcerated
• He said mass incarceration does not solve the problem we are trying to solve.
• <00:25:34.720> and at the long term mass incarceration and at the long term mass incarceration
• <00:25:45.440> doesn't you know, mass incarceration doesn't you know, mass incarceration doesn't

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Chair, I think it's unfortunate that we've built a community on incarceration, and I think it's unfortunate
• Chair, I just, I think it's unfortunate that we've built a community on, on incarceration.
• but I still would love to hear, what's the long-term solution so that you're not dependent upon incarceration
• And I'm not talking about facilities to incarcerate. I'm talking about...
• I'm not talking about facilities to incarcerate.

Keywords: 996, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We literally have reduced the number of people by 8% in 7 years who come back to incarceration.
• That represents just roughly under 20,000 people who have not come back to incarceration.
• years who come back to incarceration years who come back to incarceration that<00:39:33.480>
• if you look at the daily incarceration if you look at the daily incarceration<00:39:40.000> rate<
• /c><00:39:40.240> which<00:39:40.359> is incarceration rate which is incarceration rate

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Fiscal Committee met on February 21 and first approved the January 30 minutes and the consent calendar, with item 2540 removed by the Department of Education and item 25057 set aside for discussion. The committee then took up FIS 25057, a Department of Transportation request tied to a federal grant for building information modeling and related data standardization across DOT systems. Transportation officials explained that the $2.405 million consultant-heavy request would connect surveying, design, construction, and asset management systems, improve efficiency and long-term asset tracking, and help the department catch up with other states. Several senators questioned the lack of immediate, quantifiable budget savings and the reliance on consultants, but the item was ultimately adopted. The committee next approved FIS 25054 for the Department of Health and Human Services after questioning a $16 million shortfall in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. DHHS explained the variance as a budgeting and accounting issue tied to separating CHIP from Medicaid managed care, pandemic-era continuous enrollment, and the new federal requirement for 12 months of continuous coverage for children. Members also approved a Cannon Mountain fee item, where park officials described a proposed price freeze for early-bird passes, a new in-season tier, and modest increases in off-season pricing, while noting operating cost pressures, strong snow conditions, and favorable customer value ratings. That item was adopted unanimously. The committee also approved the Department of Corrections item after discussion of staffing, retirement eligibility, overtime, and recidivism. Commissioner Helen Hanks said retirement-eligible staff had declined slightly, recruitment was improving, overtime hours were down, one housing floor had been closed because of lower population, and the department had reduced reincarceration by 8% over seven years, which she said produced substantial savings. The item was adopted. During informational items, the committee heard a Legislative Budget Assistant performance audit of the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights. The audit found the commission inefficient and ineffective in processing complaints, with average case closure taking 840 days, significant backlogs dating back decades, expired administrative rules, weak management controls, disorganized and outdated procedures, unreliable data, and unresolved prior audit findings. The audit included 25 recommendations, two of which may require legislative action. Commission staff said they appreciated the recommendations and expected the additional resources from the prior budget cycle to help address the backlog and improve transparency and efficiency.

Transcript Highlights:

• That's family making the decision to intervene, either before or between incarceration.
• I wasn’t incarcerated or imprisoned.
• , not because it is similar or like incarceration.
• So while I can understand an... ...not because it is similar or like incarceration.
• They would not have the opportunity for Section 35; their only option would be incarceration.

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The committee held its fourth public hearing of the 2025-2026 session on bills dealing with involuntary commitment and access to addiction treatment, especially proposals to move Section 35 civil commitments away from jails and prisons and into facilities licensed or approved by DPH or DMH. Chairs Velis and Domb framed the hearing as a discussion of how to support people in crisis with compassion, while also warning against using involuntary commitment as a way to remove unhoused people from public view. The hearing also touched on related concerns about discharge practices, treatment capacity, and the need for a broader continuum of care. Testimony split largely along two themes. Addiction researcher Keith Humphreys argued that many people enter treatment under pressure, that involuntary treatment can be ethically justified in the face of overdose risk, but that it should not be mandated unless high-quality services exist first; he emphasized the need for inpatient care when someone is a grave danger, followed by case management and outpatient support. MAMH’s Kate Alicante supported the bill, saying Massachusetts is the only state that commits people with substance use conditions to jails or prisons and that carceral settings add trauma and stigma; she pointed to prior legislative steps, including the Section 35 commission and the planned closure of DOC’s MESAC facility, as evidence that the Commonwealth is moving toward health-based settings. A major portion of the hearing focused on Stony Brook, a sheriff-run stabilization and treatment center in Hampden County. Boston City Councilor John Fitzgerald, several committee members, and multiple people in recovery described the facility as humane, well-run, and effective, with longer stays, medical monitoring, medication-assisted treatment, counseling, and warm handoffs to aftercare. Several witnesses said Stony Brook saved their lives or helped family members recover, and they argued that the sheriff’s office model should be expanded rather than eliminated. Others, including family members and advocates, countered that even a well-run correctional setting remains stigmatizing and that people should not be treated in facilities run by sheriffs or corrections when they have committed no crime. No vote was taken. The hearing concluded with continued testimony, including Senator Friedman’s support for Section 35 as a civil commitment tool but not in a criminal justice setting, and her separate support for a bill to speed inpatient mental health treatment.

Transcript Highlights:

• uh provisions for incarcerated uh provisions for incarcerated individuals<00:16:08.079> across
• I said, I think if you're a ward of the state through your incarceration, we have an obligation to make
• 29.280> um um improve the conditions um of our um um improve the conditions um of our um incarcerated
• :30.960> So,<00:21:31.440> I<00:21:31.600> just<00:21:31.760> want incarcerated
• So, I just want incarcerated facilities.

Bills: SB9, SB90, SB82, SB84, SB9, SB90, SB82, SB84

Keywords: Alabama Athletic Commission, Attorney General, criminal penalties, unarmed combat, regulation, boxing, mixed martial arts, civil fines, Green County, racing, pari-mutuel wagering, gaming regulations, commission appointments, historical horse racing, local tax, SB82, warrant recall, outstanding warrants, stale warrants, misdemeanor warrants

Transcript Highlights:

• We must also address the devastating impact of mass incarceration.
• Also address the devastating impact of mass incarceration, its impact on communities of color, its real
• We also have people who follow the rules during their incarceration and actively try to better themselves
• A very important idea is both officers and incarcerated people should...
• A very important idea is that both officers and incarcerated people should treat each other with respect

Summary: The Senate Criminal Justice Committee met with Vice Chair Smith presiding in Chair Martin’s excused absence. After opening remarks from several senators, the committee heard a presentation from Department of Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon on the state’s incentivized prisons program and related population-management efforts. Dixon said the department now operates eight incentivized prisons, which use enhanced privileges and programming for well-behaved inmates, and reported major reductions in disciplinary reports, staff assaults, inmate-on-inmate assaults, and uses of force compared with average institutions. He also described administrative management units for more disruptive inmates, short-sentence correctional institutions for those with less than a year to serve, and a reentry strategy that places inmates closer to home within 18 months of release. Dixon said Florida’s recidivism rate has fallen to about 21 percent, among the lowest in the nation, and emphasized that staffing, programming, and facility repairs remain ongoing needs. Committee members asked about access to education and workforce training, staffing levels, contraband, technology upgrades, heating and air-conditioning maintenance, and whether incentivized prisons could be expanded. Dixon said educational access is improving but remains limited by eligibility and staffing, that the incentivized facilities are at capacity, and that expansion depends on adding more administrative management unit beds. He also said the department is increasing use of technology, improving maintenance oversight, and continuing efforts to reduce contraband and improve staff recruitment and retention. Several senators praised the department’s work and urged more funding for prison infrastructure and officer pay. Public testimony largely supported the incentivized prisons model while calling for more seats, better staffing, and broader reforms. Family members of incarcerated people said the facilities were safer, more stable, and better for rehabilitation, though they asked for more programming, better treatment by staff, and clearer access to education and release-related opportunities. A Florida PBA representative emphasized that programs can only succeed with safe staffing levels and better pay and retention for correctional officers. No formal committee vote or bill action was taken, and the meeting ended after public testimony and closing remarks.

Transcript Highlights:

• costs of $589,470, people who otherwise would have been incarcerated.
• impacts on incarceration. impacts on incarceration.
• <00:40:59.920> in 50,000 veterans that are incarcerated in 50,000 veterans that are incarcerated
• To keep these individuals incarcerated.
• work on while they're incarcerated? work on while they're incarcerated?

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:31:39.159> individuals treatment of incarcerated individuals treatment of incarcerated
• So, you know, it benefits incarcerated people and staff, because they feel like they get a voice, they
• So, you know, it benefits incarcerated people and staff, because they feel like they get a voice, they
• So, you know, it benefits incarcerated people and staff, because they feel like they get a voice, they
• Okay, so it's not necessarily that we're locking ourselves into, uh, 30 years of we must incarcerate

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• who need treatment not not incarceration who need treatment not not incarceration but<00:45:29.480
• Incarceration is a social determinant of health. Thank you.
• Incarceration is a social determinant of health. Thank you.
• Incarceration is a social determinant of health. Thank you.
• creating alternatives to incarceration creating alternatives to incarceration through<02:57:28.040

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The Public Safety Committee held a hearing on House Bill 433, which would appropriate $4 million for Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation re-entry services to connect offenders with community-based services. Director Tommy Johnson said the department supports the bill’s intent but noted the governor’s executive budget already includes $4 million for the same purpose and asked that the measure defer to that budget. Supporters, including the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, Community Alliance on Prisons, and the ACLU, backed the funding but urged that it be tied to a clear re-entry plan, performance measures, transparency, and regular reporting to the legislature. They emphasized that re-entry should begin at intake and involve community partnerships, housing, treatment, employment, and family reunification services. Committee members questioned the department about current re-entry services, pre-trial detainees, and how the new funds would be used. Johnson said the department’s current statewide re-entry budget is about $1.5 million to $1.7 million, separate from the larger Corrections Program Services Division budget for in-facility programs. He described the proposed $4 million as supporting a mix of services, including a pilot apprenticeship program, substance abuse treatment, navigator or warm-handoff services, and short-term transitional housing. He also said the department already tracks performance outcomes in its annual report and can provide a matrix showing the intake-to-discharge process, program contracts, and volunteer organizations. The discussion also covered pre-trial detainees, electronic monitoring, and mental health services. Johnson said the department has limited jurisdiction over pre-trial detainees but works with courts to seek supervised release when possible; he noted that many requests are denied, though electronic monitoring has improved release rates somewhat. On mental health, he said the jail is not an ideal therapeutic setting for people found unfit to proceed and suggested a secure community-based step-down facility run by the Department of Health for those needing care above what the jail can provide but below forensic-level treatment. No vote or final action on the bill was taken during the hearing.