STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1524

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1149

       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 Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 1149, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DRUGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the penalties for the possession, in the presence of a child, of precursor chemicals for manufacturing a controlled substance.

     Your Committee finds that children have been exposed to toxic chemicals of clandestine labs where controlled substances are manufactured.  Such exposures have presented a great health risk to these children.  This bill increases the penalty for those convicted of possession where children are present.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the bill from the Department of Public Safety and from the Honolulu Prosecutor's Office.

     Your Committee amended the bill by changing the effective date of the bill from January 1, 2050, to "upon its approval".  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1149, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1149, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair