STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1577-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   S.B. No. 2576

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 3

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2576, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROSTITUTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize a person convicted of committing the offense of prostitution to file a motion to vacate the conviction under certain circumstances, and to establish procedures for the motion to discharge.  This measure also increases the mandatory fine for the offense of prostitution.

The Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, Polaris Project, Equality Now, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, and Harm Reduction Hawaii testified in opposition to this measure.  IMUAlliance provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2576, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2576, S.D. 1, H.D. 3.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair