STAND. COM. REP. NO. 476
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2011
RE: H.B. No. 616
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Sixth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2011
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 616 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD CUSTODY,"
begs leave to report as follows
The purpose of this bill is to, among other things:
(1) Enhance visitation rights awarded to a parent by including electronic communication as a means of communication;
(2) Define electronic communication;
(3) Establish factors that shall be considered when determining whether visitation by electronic communication is in the best interest of the child; and
(4) Authorize the court to set guidelines in awarding visitation by electronic communication.
Several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. AngelGroup and several concerned individuals provided comments.
Your Committee realizes the importance of enhancing parent-child relationships that are subject to a distance or time difference. However, in regards to domestic violence cases, there is the potential for an abuser to use this new avenue to maintain power and control over the victim once they no longer have direct access to the victim. Moreover, electronic communication, such as Skype, could reveal the location of a victim in hiding.
Your Committee has amended this bill by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 616, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 616, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,
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____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair |
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