Bill Text: HI HB196 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Judiciary Package; Veterans Treatment Court; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-03-07 - Referred to PSM/JDL, WAM. [HB196 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-HB196-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO.  788

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.B. No. 196

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 196 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS TREATMENT COURT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support the establishment of a Veterans Treatment Court to manage the unique needs of veterans entering the criminal justice system with mental illness and substance abuse issues arising from their service to the country.  Specifically, this measure authorizes the establishment of, and provides funding for:

 

     (1)  A permanent, full-time, Social Worker IV position in the Judiciary;

 

     (2)  A permanent, full-time, deputy public defender position in the Office of the Public Defender; and

 

     (3)  Two temporary, full-time, deputy prosecuting attorney positions within the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, through a grant-in-aid.

 

     The Judiciary; The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Military Officers Association of America, Hawaii Chapter; National Association for Uniformed Services Hawaii Chapter; and many concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The State Office of Veterans Services provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Amending the appropriations by changing the amounts to unspecified amounts;

 

     (2)  Amending its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 196, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 196, H.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

		____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Chair