Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2650 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to confer concurrent jurisdiction in the family court over the offenses of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree (section 707-722, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS)) and interference with reporting an emergency or crime (section 710-1010.5, HRS).

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney.

Under current law, jurisdiction over sections 707-722 and 710-1010.5, HRS, is in the district court, as a misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor, respectively. Vesting jurisdiction concurrently with the family court would make it possible for the family court to hear these cases, usually in conjunction with a case involving a criminal charge that stems from the same incident. The defendant could not be charged with multiple offenses for the same incident if the family court had no jurisdiction over some of those charges.

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. 2650 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.