Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 864 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit commercial sexual exploitation of minors in exchange for cash, in kind favors, or other compensation through an intermediary who profits from using the minors for specified pornographic or erotic purposes.

Testimony in support was submitted by Catholic Charities Hawaii Family Forum, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Sisters Offering Support and two private citizens. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Office of the Public Defender, the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Hawaii Police Department, and the Libertarian Party of Hawaii.

Your Committee is concerned with the growing problem of sexual exploitation of youth in Hawaii. Your Committee is also disturbed by the story of one child who was solicited into exotic dancing and later arrested and placed in the Hawaii Youth Correctioned Facility for one year while the owners of the club stayed in business and suffered no consequence. Your Committee will not tolerate Hawaii's children being lured, coerced, or forced into sexual exploitation. Thus, your Committee is recommending passage of this measure with an amendment to further deter the businesses that sexually exploit Hawaii's children. Your Committee has amended this measure to require liquor and business license revocation and the property forfeiture if an entity or person is found in violation of this Act.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 864, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 864, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.