Bill Text: HI SB439 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 439 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

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

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-22 - Referred to PSM/JDL, WAM. [SB439 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SB439-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	439
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating tO VETERANS TREATMENT COURT.

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

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to support the veterans treatment court, which is intended and designed to recognize the unique needs of veterans entering the criminal justice system with mental illness and substance abuse issues arising from their service to our country.

After September 11, 2001, members of the United States armed forces and reserves and the Hawaii national guard were engaged in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq at an unprecedented pace. Recent research confirms that a significant number of soldiers--by some estimates, one in five--return home from war with a combat-related mental health condition, such as post‑traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, sexual trauma, substance abuse, or other mental and emotional health conditions.

The first veterans court was established in 2008 in Buffalo, New York. Similar models have subsequently emerged across the country. The goal of these courts is to enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system through:

(1) Early intervention and diversion from incarceration;

(2) Individualized assessment of problems, including those related to substance abuse;

(3) Judicial tracking and increased judicial involvement in monitoring treatment participation using incentives for compliance and graduated sanctions for noncompliance;

(4) Encouragement of veterans to accept responsibility for their conduct;

(5) Provision of a mentor to assist with reintegration; and

(6) Rehabilitation of veterans and their successful reintegration into society.

Successful intervention by the veterans treatment court is expected to have a long‑term impact upon prison overcrowding, the costs of high rates of incarceration, public safety, probation and parole workloads, and case flow through the judicial system.

The judiciary is seeking to establish a veterans treatment court in the first circuit, which will require additional personnel to provide case management services and defense and prosecutorial legal services. Accordingly, this measure authorizes additional positions and appropriates funding for the judiciary and public defender's office, and appropriates grant‑in‑aid funds to the Honolulu prosecutor's office.

SECTION 2. (a) The judiciary may establish one full‑time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent social worker IV position to provide support to the veterans treatment court in the first circuit.

(b) There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $45,576 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 fund the position authorized in subsection (a). The sums appropriated shall be expended by the judiciary for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. (a) The department of budget and finance may establish one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) permanent deputy public defender position in the office of the public defender to provide support to the veterans treatment court in the first circuit.

(b) There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $112,699 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2013-2014 and the sum of $111,099 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to fund the position authorized in subsection (a). The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of budget and finance for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $192,713 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2013-2014 for a grant‑in‑aid to the department of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu to fund two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) temporary deputy prosecuting attorney positions, to provide support to the veterans treatment court in the first circuit. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2013.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Judiciary Package; Veterans Treatment Court; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds for positions to support a veterans treatment court in the first circuit.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.