STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1124-06
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2006
RE: S.B. No. 2941
S.D. 1
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2006
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2941, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BRUSH FIRES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to increase brush fire prevention by:
(1) Establishing as a class C felony, the new offense of "criminal property damage caused by brush fire;"
(2) Permitting the court to assess a defendant found guilty of the crime the cost of extinguishing the brush fire; and
(3) Holding a parent or guardian of a minor who sets a brush fire liable for the cost of damages attributable to the minor.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu Fire Department, State Fire Council, Honolulu Police Department, and Nature Conservancy of Hawaii testified in support of this bill. The Office of the Public Defender opposed this measure.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Changing the term "area" to "region" with regard to the performance of community service at the location the property damage occurred;
(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2096, to encourage further discussion; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.
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. 2941, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2941, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,
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____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Chair |
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