STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1244

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1721

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1721, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VIOLENCE AGAINST EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a criminal offense of:

     (1)  Assault in the second degree if the person intentionally and knowingly causes bodily injury to any emergency medical services personnel who is engaged in the performance of duty; and

     (2)  Terroristic threatening in the first degree if the person commits terroristic threatening against any emergency medical services personnel.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii and ten individuals.

     Your Committee finds that emergency medical services personnel are at a heightened risk of personal injury or death from patients and others with whom they are in contact in the course of work.  By the very nature of their job, they respond to people in distressful situations, including incidences of criminal violence, family disputes, and drunken brawls.

     The intent of this measure is to protect emergency medical services personnel and to deter violence against them.  Your Committee acknowledges that much of the violence promulgates from explosive situations involving agitated people who lack momentary self-control.  However, your Committee believes that emergency medical personnel should be afforded the same protection as correctional workers and educational workers.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to take effect upon its approval.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1721, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1721, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair