H.B. 911 Summary

• Amends Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 353H-4 to expand the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's offender reentry model programs with new components including earn and learn programs, high school equivalency support, college education encouragement, and job placement assistance.

• Requires model programs to include supervised apprenticeships allowing eligible inmates to work toward licensure while earning income, with emphasis on relevant career training that highlights actual job prospects and employment benefits.

• Establishes new mentoring and counseling programs for inmates convicted of felonies, with recommendations for parole or early release upon program completion.

• Appropriates unspecified funding for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to expand existing model programs and provide more educational and vocational training opportunities for interested inmates.

• Takes effect July 1, 2025, addressing Hawaii's high recidivism rate of 54 percent and the disproportionate incarceration of Native Hawaiians who comprise 40 percent of the prison population.