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Written Only Testimony by Roderick K. Becker Director, Department of Budget and Finance to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means on House Bill No

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Written Only Testimony by Roderick K. Becker Director, Department of Budget and Finance to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means on House Bill No DAVID Y. IGE RODERICK K. BECKER GOVERNOR DIRECTOR ROBERT YU DEPUTY DIRECTOR STATE OF HAWAII ADMINISTRATIVE AND RESEARCH OFFICE EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND FINANCE BUDGET, PROGRAM PLANNING AND HAWAII EMPLOYER-UNION HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FUND MANAGEMENT DIVISION OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER P.O. BOX 150 FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION DIVISION HONOLULU, HAWAII 96810-0150 OFFICE OF FEDERAL AWARDS MANAGEMENT (OFAM) WRITTEN ONLY TESTIMONY BY RODERICK K. BECKER DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND FINANCE TO THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON JUDICIARY AND WAYS AND MEANS ON HOUSE BILL NO. 1541, H.D. 2, S.D. 1 April 3, 2019 10:00 a.m. Room 211 RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION House Bill (H.B.) No. 1541, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, establishes the Hawaii Gun Violence Prevention Center (HGVPC), within the University of Hawaii, to conduct extensive research on gun-related violence and its prevention. This bill also creates the HGVPC Special Fund (HGVPCSF) that would generate revenues through Legislative appropriations, donations, contributions, and grants; appropriates an unspecified sum of general funds in FY 20 and FY 21 for deposit into the HGVPCSF; and appropriates an unspecified amount from the HGVPCSF in FY 20 and FY 21 for the hiring of three or more full-time equivalent permanent positions. As a matter of general policy, the department does not support the creation of any special fund which does not meet the requirements of Section 37-52.3, HRS. Special funds should: 1) serve a need as demonstrated by the purpose, scope of work and an explanation why the program cannot be implemented successfully under the general fund appropriation process; 2) reflect a clear nexus between the benefits sought and charges made upon the users or beneficiaries or a clear link between the program No. 1 Capitol District Building, 250 S. Hotel Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 -2- and the sources of revenue; 3) provide an appropriate means of financing for the program or activity; and 4) demonstrate the capacity to be financially self-sustaining. In regards to H.B. No. 1541, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, it is difficult to determine whether the proposed special fund would be self-sustaining. Thank you for your consideration of our comments. HB-1541-SD-1 Submitted on: 3/29/2019 7:24:39 PM Testimony for JDC on 4/3/2019 10:00:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Testifying for LGBT Caucus of the Michael Golojuch Jr Support Yes Democratic Party of Hawaii Comments: Aloha Senators, The LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii supports the passage of HB 1541 HD 2 SD 1. Mahalo for your consideration and for the opportunity to testify. Mahalo, Michael Golojuch, Jr. Chair LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii HB-1541-SD-1 Submitted on: 4/2/2019 7:47:48 AM Testimony for JDC on 4/3/2019 10:00:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Testifying for Hawaii Kainoa Kaku Oppose No Rifle Association Comments: HB-1541-SD-1 Submitted on: 4/2/2019 7:48:22 AM Testimony for JDC on 4/3/2019 10:00:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Testifying for Hawaii Malia Kaku Oppose No Rifle Association Comments: HB-1541-SD-1 Submitted on: 4/2/2019 7:48:55 AM Testimony for JDC on 4/3/2019 10:00:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Testifying for Hawaii Sherry Kaku Oppose No Rifle Association Comments: HB-1541-SD-1 Submitted on: 4/2/2019 7:49:22 AM Testimony for JDC on 4/3/2019 10:00:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Testifying for Hawaii Richard Kaku Oppose No Rifle Association Comments: HB-1541-SD-1 Submitted on: 4/2/2019 10:18:19 AM Testimony for JDC on 4/3/2019 10:00:00 AM Testifier Present at Submitted By Organization Position Hearing Testifying for O`ahu County Democrats Melodie Aduja Support No Legislative Priorities Committee Comments: The O`ahu County Democrats Legislative Priorities Committee supports HB1541, HD2, SD1, because gun violence poses a significant public health and public safety risk in the State of Hawai`i as it does across the Nation in recent years. Substantial research on gun violence and its prevention must be conducted to help alleviate these public safety risks. HB1541, HD1, SD1, requires the University of Hawaii to conduct the much needed research to analyze and develop strategies to prevent gun violence in the State. Mahalo nui loa, Melodie Aduja Chair, OCDLPC 268 Bush Street #555, San Francisco, CA 94104 415-433-2062 GIFFORDSLAWCENTER.ORG 268 Bush Street #555, San Francisco, CA 94104 415-433-2062 GIFFORDSLAWCENTER.ORG 268 Bush Street #555, San Francisco, CA 94104 415-433-2062 GIFFORDSLAWCENTER.ORG April 3, 2019 PRESIDENT October 5, 2017 Alexis Coll-Very The Honorable Karl Rhoads, The Honorable Donovan M. Dela Cruz, TREASURER Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair, Senate Ways & Means Committee David Kapnick Hawaii State Senate Hawaii State Senate EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Name,Honolulu, HI 96813 Honolulu, HI 96813 Robyn Thomas BOARD Ut ut pratiumRe: Support quas volupide for HB 1541 eaturio Establishing eictem et the volorio Hawaii ea Gun consequi Violence dest Prevention odi Center Peter Ambler utemqui consequam fuga. Xeribus quos quistesequi ius, alis andipiendae Steven Baron Dear Senators Rhoads and Dela Cruz, Elizabeth Cabraser veniandel is intur sunt quid quam, voluptat prat hillis qui dellorem que Paul Chapman estrum quuntiistoOn behalf of vent Giffords ut modi Law Centervenda tocor Prevent most Gunipsam Violence, eatum I offeret qui our tem. strong At support for Owen Clements odi volore maxime nus, consero te mod ut latiumqui derum sequos. Brook Dooley HB 1541, a bill to promote the establishment of an academic center for the study of gun Charles Dyke Marc Fagel Si doloriosviolence estiam, at theconsecea University seniene of Hawaii. cestorum For 25 years, quam the et legalest rem. experts Nam at Giffords Law Center James Fousekis to Prevent Gun Violence have been fighting for a safer America by researching, drafting, Simon Frankel ipsum faccum sinveles aut etur, ut facienihit expelis el mo te nulpari David Fry conecti asand moluptatias defending the nobitatus laws, policies, mi, con and eaquiprograms dundiatur proven to a savedi totas lives from gun violence. Tyler Gerking Founded in the wake of a 1993 mass shooting in San Francisco, in 2016 the Law Center Holly Gordon secessim eicid ut et earum aut molupiti dolor saniminiatem quisit Melinda Haag faccaectibusjoined aut with dolore former nihitin Congresswoman cusandis Gabrielleullitae nume Giffords moluptur? to form a courageous new force for George Hisert gun safety that stretches coast to coast. Carol Kingsley William Kissinger Git arum volorep erores eum excessi nimpere simod estrum alit eos expero According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 36,000 David Lipkin cor audi ofctur maximendam, quis eum eniendipient re sum nientur Anthony Malutta lives are lost each year to firearms violence. In fact, over the last decade, nearly 400,000 Mark Mosley ate et quasin endeliquibus illatia tquiducipsus amusandi ommolum lati Scott Nonaka Americans—including hundreds of Hawaiians—have been killed by gun violence. This repudita nimet fugia nonsequide nim essendam net volor a sequi num Matt Powers immense public health crisis is relatively unknown in most other developed nations but Brent Ray voloreictem faceper ovidundis dolupti osandio nseque earum estin Sarah Ray remains a leading cause of death, injury, and human suffering in our country. State and exeroris quidellecate adia vollic tem volutem fuga. Et ofciisto optam, David Roth national leaders have a responsibility to mount a serious, thoughtful, and informed policy James Sef autatiur rerchicimus maiorib usdandus qui bearisq. Randal Short response. John Skonberg Steven Smith Nimus doloritFederally harunt funded aceritatem research has acepudam been essential endiciumquam to shaping public ditaectat policy on every other Jeanna Steele enimet omnis et earum, alibus, quiam aliquiam conecti as moluptatias Kenneth Taber public health and safety issue, including efforts to fight the spread of disease, promote Roderick Thompson nobitatus mi, con eaqui dundiatur a di totas architatem quam que pa highway safety, develop vaccines and proper nutrition, and discourage alcohol and Tracy Thompson quametur rem volorrum as essum dolore, sent adi. tobacco misuse. For example, federally funded research provided the evidence upon FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE Cameron Baker Conecti aswhich moluptatias policies that nobitatus reduce motor mi, con vehicle eaqui crashes dundiatur and fatalities, a di totas including ipsum child safety- Elizabeth Cabraser seat use and divided highways, were based. Because of this research and the subsequent William Edlund faccum sinveles aut etur, ut facienihit expelis el mo te nulpari ipsum Charles Ehrlich faccum sinvelespolicy changes, aut etur, the utnumber facienihit of motor expelis vehicle el fatalitiesmo te nulpari. per mile driven has declined by James Fousekis more than eighty percent since the 1950s. John Heisse George Hisert Michelle Scully Hobus Unfortunately, federal funding for firearm violence research through the Centers for Edward Kallgren Disease Control and Prevention has been virtually eliminated by Congress since 1996. Carol Kingsley Lawrence Low Richard Odgers Sincerely, Name Name 268 Bush Street #555, San Francisco, CA 94104 415-433-2062 GIFFORDSLAWCENTER.ORG 268 Bush Street #555, San Francisco, CA 94104 415-433-2062 GIFFORDSLAWCENTER.ORG Because of this lack of federal support, too little firearm violence research has been done, and too little is known about firearm violence and its prevention. Additionally, only a small number of trained investigators are available, as a lack of funding has made it difficult to encourage researchers to pursue this area of study. By encouraging the University of Hawaii to become a leading center for gun violence research, HB 1541 would provide much-needed support for scientific research upon which policymakers can continue to develop effective, evidence- based solutions to the epidemic of gun violence.
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