Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 661, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a sexual assault prevention special fund.

Your Committee recognizes that preventing sexual assault must be a high priority. Sexual assault is a serious problem with far-reaching impacts on women, men, and children in Hawaii. In addition to sustaining injuries from such assaults, sexual assault survivors can be subject to sexually transmitted disease, unwanted pregnancy, anxiety, depression, and sleep and eating disorders. Your Committee finds that a key component of preventing these assaults is education at the school level.

Your Committee also finds that it is well documented that sexual assault education is critical in keeping children and other at-risk groups safe. It also leads to increased reporting of sexual assaults, which means that more victims will receive the professional assistance they need on a timely basis, thus mitigating the long-term damage.

Your Committee notes that the sexual assault prevention special fund will not be funded with state moneys, but through an increase in the marriage license fee.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 661, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.