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If lawmakers agree, the total sum committed to planning may be $35 million for a lockup the governor believes might eventually cost $1 billion.

After hearing that a new lockup could cost as much as $1 billion, members again ask the state to study alternatives.

Prison reform advocates worry key bills won’t survive legislative session Prison reform advocates worry key bills are stalled in the state legislature By Rick Daysog | February 21, 2021 at 6:07 PM HST - Updated February 21 at 10:41 PM HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Prison reform measures, which gained momentum during the COVID pandemic, are now faltering in the state Legislature, advocates said. They said several bills -- including measures to modernize the criminal justice system and the bail system and one that places a one-year moratorium on the construction of a new Oahu Com...

State Has Spent Nearly $10 Million So Far Planning A New Jail At Halawa - Honolulu Civil Beat Corrections chief says planning to replace Oahu Community Correctional Center will continue. Reading time: 4 minutes. The state has already spent nearly $10 million on planning, permitting, environmental reports and other tasks related to development of a new jail in Halawa, according to a consultant working on the project. Bettina Mehnert, president and CEO of the firm AHL, formerly known as Architects Hawaii, disclosed that substantial sum during a briefing for the Hawaii Correctional Systems Over...

Reform advocates blast state over COVID-related inmate deaths at prison Reform advocates blast prison officials over COVID-related deaths at Halawa By Rick Daysog | February 18, 2021 at 5:04 PM HST - Updated February 18 at 6:36 PM HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Reform advocates are asking state prison officials tough questions over recent COVID-related inmate deaths at the Halawa Correctional Facility. The virus has killed six inmates at the prison, including one man who had served behind bars for 30 years and was set to be released this month. “I just don’t understand how this p...