Bill Text: HI HB643 | 2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Youth Gang Response System; Appropriation ($)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-12-18 - Carried over to 2014 Regular Session. [HB643 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2014-HB643-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
643 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO YOUTH GANGS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a re-emerging youth gang problem in Hawaii. This is evidenced by an increase in gang membership in certain areas of Hawaii as well as an increase in gang-related graffiti, violence, and criminal activity.
Because many of these offenses are increasingly being committed by gang members of elementary and middle school age, negative activities may impact school campuses as well. It is reported that gang members distribute illegal drugs on campus, possess weapons, and may be prone to violent behavior, endangering the safety and well-being of students as well as school personnel. School personnel are restricted from physically holding these members and suspension from school is not a deterrent for these gang members.
Reports also suggest that substance abuse by youth gang members greatly contributes to the crime problem. Alcohol, marijuana, and over-the-counter cold medications have been identified as being used by youth crime suspects.
It is reported that many youth in youth gangs are highly mobile, interact with each other, and commit crimes of opportunity wherever they travel.
Youth delinquency tends to appear in communities where the factors of poverty, adolescence, and social disorganization are present. Social disorganization often occurs in communities that have a high rate of in-migration; in families that lack the skills, knowledge of laws and customs, or time to provide adolescents with the support and guidance they need; and in schools and communities that fail to offer the types of activities which foster a sense of challenge, purpose, and belonging in adolescents, and that fail to recognize and effectively assist youths who are at-risk. When youths turn to gangs for support and recognition, their destructive behavior is an expression of their desperate need for help from the social disorganization which they are facing.
Clearly, the existence of gangs is but a symptom of a larger set of problems which our communities are experiencing.
In 1990, the legislature created the youth gang response system through the passage of Act 189, Session Laws of Hawaii 1990, to address youth gang behavior and related issues through a comprehensive and coordinated effort. The youth gang response system built and maintained partnerships among state agencies, county police departments, businesses, and community-based organizations and provided meaningful and positive opportunities for youth engaging in serious gang activity.
The legislature finds that re-investing resources and funds in the youth gang response system is essential to maintaining control of the gang situation. While the youth gang response system was community-based, it also was statewide and systemwide and linked to schools, courts, parents, government, agencies, community organizations, and community leaders.
The youth gang response system was most recently administratively attached to the department of human services' office of youth services and included:
(1) Effective intelligence and law enforcement;
(2) Sharing of information;
(3) Public awareness programs;
(4) Community and school-based intervention and prevention programs; and
(5) Evaluation and research.
The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the youth gang response system which shall be coordinated by the department of human services' office of youth services and include the participation of other relevant state and county agencies and shall incorporate the critical elements of law enforcement and intelligence, training and community awareness, community intervention, community prevention, information, and evaluation.
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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the continued operation of:
(1) A statewide information system and information clearinghouse on youth gangs;
(2) Public education on the youth gang problem;
(3) Community support groups to help citizens confront and deal with the problem of youth gangs;
(4) A statewide training program that includes cultural identity training for public citizens and government personnel who are involved or are in contact with youth gangs; and
(5) A statewide law enforcement task force focused on resolving youth gang criminal activities.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services' office of youth services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. 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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the police departments of the counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai and the city and county of Honolulu to monitor gang activities, and establish new gang prevention programs; provided that each county shall be allocated $ .
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services' office of youth services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. 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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to commission the center for youth research of the University of Hawaii to:
(1) Assist the department of parks and recreation of the city and county of Honolulu to plan and develop programs for targeted youth groups; and
(2) Conduct a study of the activities offered to youths between thirteen and eighteen years of age by the department of parks and recreation for the city and county of Honolulu in the targeted communities that have yet to be determined.
The study shall focus on the following issues:
(1) Which facilities are under the jurisdiction of the department of parks and recreation in the targeted areas and the kinds of recreational activities each facility can accommodate;
(2) How the department's facilities in the targeted areas are currently being utilized;
(3) Why additional activities for youths in the targeted age group are not being offered by the department and what would be required to offer more activities to this age group; and
(4) The feasibility of extending facility hours.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services' office of youth services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 5. 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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the statewide expansion of the campus disturbance plan of the department of education.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. 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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the department of education to continue the school based gang and drug prevention and intervention project initiated by the Honolulu police department in 1990 at Kalakaua and Dole Middle schools, and to expand the project to include schools that have yet to be determined. Unexpended funds at the conclusion of the authorized expenditure period in this section shall be used to expand this project statewide.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services' office of youth services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 7. 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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the department of human services' office of youth services to provide and develop prevention and intervention services and programs statewide for youth-at-risk. These services and programs may include job-training skills, mentorship programs, substance abuse programs, and language access and transition classes for youth-at-risk.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services' office of youth services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 8. 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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the center for youth research of the University of Hawaii to conduct an evaluation of the youth gang response system.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 9. 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 2013-2014 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to the department of human services' office of youth services to provide personnel, equipment, office space, and intrastate travel for monitoring purposes in its role as the overall coordinator of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services' office of youth services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 10. The unexpended and unencumbered balance of the appropriated sums shall not lapse until the close of business on June 30, 2015.
SECTION 11. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Youth Gang Response System; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for the Youth Gang Response System. Effective July 1, 2050. (HB643 HD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
