STAND. COM. REP. NO.  459-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1993

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1993 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to classify as a class C felony the commission of an act of physical abuse in the presence of a family or household member who is less than fourteen years of age.

The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaii, the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Kauai, the Police Department of the County of Kauai, the Police Department of the County of Maui, the Kauai Chamber of Commerce, the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, and three individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Office of the Public Defender testified in opposition to this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1993 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair