STAND. COM. REP. NO.  658-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2765

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Labor & Public Employment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2765 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIME,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect minors by strengthening the laws prohibiting sexual exploitation of a minor and certain activities associated with human trafficking.

     The Department of Human Services, Crime Victim Compensation Commission, Honolulu Police Department, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, Soroptimist International of Honolulu, Safe Zone Foundation, Girl Fest Hawaii, Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  Na Loio – Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center supported the intent of this measure.  The City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney supported this bill with amendments.  The Attorney General suggested amendments.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

     (1)  Removing all references to human trafficking; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Labor & Public Employment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2765, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2765, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services & Housing and Labor & Public Employment,

____________________________ ALEX M. SONSON, Chair

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair