Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1530 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to delete the repeal date of the enactment of the drug demand reduction assessment law.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Department of Health (DOH), and Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney. Testimony in opposition was received from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Act 205, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 1995, enacted the drug reduction assessment law and special fund that was to be repealed on June 30, 1996. Act 152, SLH 1998, extended the sunset date to June 30, 2001. Any person convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or granted a deferred acceptance of guilty or no contest plea is subject to a court ordered monetary assessment to be paid into the drug demand reduction assessments special fund, administered by the DOH to supplement drug treatment and other drug demand reduction programs.

Your Committee passes this measure recognizing that drug abuse is the cause of most property crime and domestic violence today. Your Committee finds that past efforts and much of the present efforts relating to illicit drugs have focused on reducing the supply of those drugs. This measure is aimed at reducing the demand or the need for illicit drugs. In this sense, this measure goes to the heart of drug abuse by attempting to cure the addiction. When that happens, your Committee believes that a reduction in property crime, domestic abuse, and much violent crime will result.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1530 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.