CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. 21

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 133

H.D. 1

S.D. 3

C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, S.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD PROTECTION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Provide immunity from prosecution to persons leaving an unharmed newborn at a hospital, and provide immunity from liability for hospitals and personnel receiving a newborn; and

(2) Allow sheriffs to assume protective custody of child abuse victims and require sheriffs to report child abuse cases.

Your Committee on Conference finds that:

This measure would help prevent newborns from being abandoned in life-threatening situations. However, sheriffs are not at present trained or equipped to handle situations of child abuse.

Your Committee on Conference has therefore amended the bill by:

(1) Deleting reference to sheriffs; and

(2) Making technical and nonsubstantive changes for clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, S.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 133, H.D. 1, S.D. 3, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair		____________________________ ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Co-Chair
____________________________ COLLEEN HANABUSA, Co-Chair		____________________________ KEN ITO, Co-Chair