Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 637 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of the bill is to repeal the Hawaii missing children's clearinghouse trust fund and to transfer the balance in the fund to the Friends of the Missing Child Center Hawaii, a Hawaii nonprofit corporation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Missing Child Center Advisory Board and a concerned individual. The Department of the Attorney General and the Hawaii Justice Foundation took no position on the matter and submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that the continued administration of the Hawaii missing children's fund by the Department of the Attorney General has given the impression to potential private donors that the fund belongs to the Department. Consequently, private donors are reluctant to contribute into the fund. An independent nonprofit corporation can effectuate the purpose of the fund; this measure would formally terminate the fund and transfer administration of the money to a private entity.

Your Committee amended the bill by making technical and nonsubstantive changes for the purpose of style and clarity.

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. 637, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 637, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.