HB 401 Summary

• Establishes a task force to reduce contact with Hawaii's criminal justice system, with particular focus on eliminating disparate treatment of Native Hawaiians, attached administratively to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

• Task force shall recommend cost-effective mechanisms, legislation, and policies to reduce unnecessary involvement with the criminal justice system, including converting low-level non-violent crimes to civil violations, expanding deferred plea options for substance abuse and mental health treatment, increasing pretrial release options, and implementing trauma-informed services.

• Task force membership consists of six members: state attorney general, director of public safety, CEO of Office of Hawaiian Affairs, one county police chief, administrator of adult client services for the first circuit court, and one circuit court judge selected by the Hawaii Supreme Court chief justice.

• Task force must submit final report to legislature no later than twenty days before the 2013 regular legislative session and ceases to exist on August 1, 2013.

• Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 for establishment and administration of the task force.