STAND. COM. REP. NO.  529-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2395

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2395 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SENTENCING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce the incidence of sexual assaults against children by establishing a mandatory minimum sentence for first degree sexual assault against a minor who is under fourteen years of age.

A concerned individual supported this bill.  The Sex Abuse Treatment Center; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Kaua‘i; and Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu provided comments on this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate discussion; and

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

     Your Committee notes that there are other, similar bills to this one proceeding through the legislative process.  As sentencing requirements are generally more of a matter for your Committee on Judiciary, should your Committee on Judiciary choose to consider this measure, your Committee respectfully encourages further discussion and examination of how this measure may intersect with other measures under consideration.

     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. 2395, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2395, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair