Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2978 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to better protect children from abuse by:

The Department of Human Services, DPS, and AG testified in support of this bill.

Your Committee finds that there have been situations where DPS sheriffs and narcotics enforcement officers and AG investigators have witnessed child abuse in the course of their work. Under current law, these law enforcement officers are not specifically named as mandated reporters and thus lack the authority to assume protective custody of the child. This measure would protect children by authorizing DPS and AG law enforcement officers to remove a child from a potentially dangerous situation in an efficient manner.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2978 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.