Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1320 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the police chief of each county to retain the dispatch tape recordings of all emergency 911 calls for a period of at least three years.

The State of Hawaii Department of Defense, Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii, a private practice attorney, and a private citizen submitted testimony in support of this bill. The Honolulu Police Department submitted testimony in opposition to this bill.

Dispatch tape recordings often contain information critical to the outcome of civil, criminal, and other proceedings. Retention of the recordings for at least three years will ensure their availability as evidence while allowing adequate time to conduct necessary investigation and case development.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1320, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.