REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION TO COLLABORATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO USE INMATE WORK FURLOUGH PROGRAMS FOR STATE ROADWAY AND HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE.

This Senate Resolution (SR 18) requests the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to collaborate with the Department of Transportation to use existing inmate work furlough programs for state roadway and highway maintenance. It directly affects inmates participating in furlough programs (who gain work experience for reentry), the Corrections Department (which must coordinate the effort), and Transportation (which would gain additional maintenance staff). The resolution proposes using eligible inmates - already in furlough programs for reentry preparation - to perform routine road maintenance tasks like pothole repair and vegetation control. This is a procedural request, not a new law, aiming to support inmate rehabilitation while addressing workforce needs for highway upkeep.