Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3017, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a bill of rights for law enforcement officers.

Testimony in support of the measure was received from one individual. Testimony in opposition to the measure was received from the City and County of Honolulu, the Honolulu Police Department, the Hawaii Police Department, the Kauai Police Department, and the Maui Police Department.

Your Committee finds that this measure is designed to protect the constitutional and statutory rights of law enforcement officers by having in place clear procedures and guidelines in the event a law enforcement officer is the subject of a criminal or internal investigation. Although your Committee recognizes that law enforcement officers may be protected through a collective bargaining agreement with their employers, certain rights should be statutorily mandated to ensure the proper protection of these individuals. Your Committee emphasizes that the protections already available to an officer will remain intact and will not be abrogated or diminished by this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3017, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.