STAND. COM. REP. NO.  665-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1726

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1726 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MURDER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to broaden the offense of murder in the first degree to include cases in which the victim was restrained or detained as a shield, hostage, or for ransom.

The Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Ho‘omana Pono, LLC; Parents of Murdered Children; and many concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  Honolulu's Department of the Prosecuting Attorney testified in opposition.

     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. 1726, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair