Bill Text: HI SR99 | 2011 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Public-Private Partnerships to Build Prisons and Correctional Facilities

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-01 - (S) Report adopted, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [SR99 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-SR99-Amended.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	99
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE GOVERNOR TO BEGIN DISCUSSIONS AND PLANS TO ESTABLISH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD PRISONS, RE-ENTRY CENTERS, DRUG TREATMENT FACILITIES, OR OTHER CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN THE STATE to deal with the State's prison overcrowding and to return the majority of our prisoners who are incarcerated on the mainland.

 

 

     WHEREAS, for over ten years the State has sent inmates to the mainland for incarceration due to overcrowding in our prisons; and

 

     WHEREAS, over $50,000,000 of Hawaii funds are spent annually to incarcerate these inmates on the mainland; and

 

     WHEREAS, these funds are not circulating in our economy, but in the economies of other states, providing jobs and opportunities for mainland residents and companies; and

 

     WHEREAS, new prisons and correctional facilities in the State would create local construction jobs, public safety jobs,  and allow inmates to be close to their supportive families; and

 

     WHEREAS, inmates on the mainland are not able to have close support from family and friends for their rehabilitation and re-entry efforts; and

 

     WHEREAS, there have been documented problems at some of the mainland facilities with our female prisoners and with our incarcerated men; and

 

     WHEREAS, the majority of our female prisoners were recently returned from Kentucky due to sexual assaults and other issues; and

 

     WHEREAS, there are private companies that are willing to establish public-private partnerships with the State to build new prison facilities in Hawaii using their financial resources; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State would not have to provide funds up front to begin these projects, but would pay monthly payments for a set period when the projects are completed; and

 

     WHEREAS, ownership of the facilities would revert back to the State after all payments have been completed; and

 

     WHEREAS, some private companies would be willing to operate the facilities using union workers and paying union wages; and

 

     WHEREAS, public-private partnerships would allow for efficient construction, financing, and leasing in a reasonable timeframe; and

 

     WHEREAS, public-private partnerships would also allow the State to take advantage of a favorable bidding and subcontracting environment in terms of pricing and relatively low bond interest rates; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, that the Legislature support the concept of public-private partnerships to build prisons, re-entry centers, drug treatment facilities, or other correctional facilities in the State and urge the Governor to begin discussions and plans to establish public-private partnerships as soon as possible to deal with the State's prison overcrowding and to return the majority of our prisoners who are incarcerated on the mainland; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Director of Public Safety.

 

 

 

Report Title: 

Public-Private Partnerships to Build Prisons and Correctional Facilities