STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1785

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 220

       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 Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 220 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO FACILITATE PROVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO NON-CITIZEN VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Human Services to facilitate the provision of social services to non‑citizen victims of human trafficking.

     No Loio Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center submitted testimony in support of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that, without resources to secure housing, food, medical care, or other basic necessities, non-citizen victims of human trafficking struggle to survive in our community.  Victim assistance and services for trafficked persons are constrained by factors such as legal provisions barring undocumented migrants from benefits and victim-related services.  Federal law may protect trafficked persons by providing immigration status, permission to work, and possible United States permanent residence once a victim is certified as a severe victim of trafficking.  There is a need for victim services from the time that individuals are identified as trafficked persons until they are certified as a severe victim of trafficking by federal law enforcement.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting the Department of Human Services to conduct a statewide needs assessment of non‑citizen victims of human trafficking and to:

          (A)  Collaborate with the task force that was established, to determine how Hawaii can best combat and deter human trafficking, pursuant to Act 260, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006;

          (B)  Identify existing obstacles, in statute, rule, or policy, that limit or deny benefits to non‑citizen victims of human trafficking; and

          (C)  Identify appropriate social, financial, and other services for victims of human trafficking, in general, including gaps in the services offered by state, county, and private agencies for victims of human trafficking; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 220, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 220, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair