STAND. COM. REP. NO.  326-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1907

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1907 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEXUAL ASSAULT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Sexual Assault Kit Tracking Program.  More specifically, this measure requires, among other things:

     (1)  A law enforcement agency to submit sexual assault kits connected to a criminal investigation to an authorized laboratory, the laboratory to complete the analysis of the kit, and the results to be uploaded in a timely manner;

     (2)  Each law enforcement agency that obtains a sexual assault kit in connection with a criminal investigation to annually report to the Department of the Attorney General on the number of sexual assault kits in its possession; and

     (3)  The police department of each county, the Department of Public Safety, and the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular session of 2017 on the number of kits in its possession and the progress on any backlog, and make the reports publicly available.

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, American Association of University Women in Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, and Joyful Heart Foundation supported this measure.  The Honolulu Police Department supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of the Attorney General provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, 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. 1907, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1907, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair