Bill
HCR 23
HCR 23 asks Hawaii to plan the Halawa Oahu Community Correctional Center with on-site court facilities, coordinated releases away from neighborhoods, and reduced transport impacts.
Bill number: HCR 23
Classification: Concurrent resolution
Introduced: November 14, 2024
Status: Adopted by both houses, enrolled and transmitted; taken by the Clerk and presented to the Secretary of State (May 5, 2025).
Sponsors: Rep. Tonya Pfaff (author); Sen. Greg Goode (senate sponsor); others listed as primary sponsors.
Note on document contents and discrepancies
- The materials associated with HCR 23 include multiple, distinct concurrent-resolution texts that are not related to the single short descriptive title provided at the top of the packet (the title about commending Bryson “Cupid” Bernard). The operative legislative history and actions recorded correspond primarily to a Hawaii concurrent resolution regarding planning for a new Oahu Community Correctional Center (Halawa). A separate ceremonial text recognizing Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) and designating “AKA Day at the Capitol” also appears in the packet. This summary covers both substantive texts included in the bill materials and clarifies their nature.
Purpose and intent
- To request that the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) consider specific planning and operational measures for the replacement Oahu Community Correctional Center in Halawa to reduce costs, transportation burdens, traffic/greenhouse-gas impacts, and community safety concerns.
Key provisions (requests)
- Coordinate with the Judiciary to include circuit and district court facilities within the new Halawa correctional center (so that court proceedings can occur on-site).
- Establish a release procedure such that detainees or inmates, upon release, are transported to a site other than residential neighborhoods or public spaces (e.g., parks).
- The resolution cites HRS §353-16.37 (Community Benefit and Enhancement Package) and asks consideration of community impacts and mitigation measures.
Who is affected
- Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Judiciary, Department of Accounting and General Services, Governor’s office, and local Halawa/Kalihi communities.
- Detainees/inmates (logistics of transportation and release), court operations in Honolulu, and nearby residents (public safety and traffic/air-quality impacts).
Nature and impact
- The measure is a concurrent resolution: it requests and encourages specific planning actions and coordination but does not by itself create binding law or appropriate funds.
- If implemented, on-site court facilities would reduce frequent detainee transports to Honolulu (potential savings in labor, vehicles, fuel; reduced GHG emissions and congestion). A controlled release procedure is intended to reduce perceived public-safety concerns in surrounding residential/public areas.
Procedural timeline (selected)
- Referred to committees (PBS, JHA, PSM), amended in HD1, adopted by House and Senate in March–April 2025, enrolled and signed by legislative leaders, and transmitted to the Governor and agencies. (Legislative entries record committee hearings and votes in March–April 2025; certified copies to Governor, DOCR, and Chief Justice are requested in the text.)
Purpose and intent
- To recognize Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (founded January 15, 1908) for community service and civic contributions, and to designate April 24, 2025 as “AKA Day at the Capitol.”
Key points
- Recites AKA history, membership (noted as over 300,000 globally in the text), Delaware graduate and undergraduate chapters’ community programs (scholarships, health initiatives, civic engagement, etc.), and advocacy role with the state legislature.
- Designation is ceremonial—intended to honor the organization and mark a day of recognition at the state capitol.
Who is affected
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, its local Delaware chapters and members, and the general public who engage with the sorority’s programs.
Nature and impact
- Ceremonial concurrent resolution; symbolic recognition without regulatory or fiscal effect.
Overall, HCR 23 materials contain one substantive, nonbinding request addressed to state agencies (Hawaii DOCR and Judiciary) regarding the planning/design and operational protocols for the new Oahu Community Correctional Center, plus a separate ceremonial recognition designating an “AKA Day at the Capitol.” Both are concurrent resolutions—primarily advisory/recognitional rather than law-making.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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