STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2079

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2364

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2364 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to specify that citizen complaints against a police officer that involve allegations of domestic abuse against a family or household member on the part of the police officer shall not be required to be in writing or sworn to by the complainant.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

     Your Committee finds that high-profile incidents involving law enforcement officers in the State highlight the need to ensure that a citizen who has experienced abuse by a police officer who has a certain relationship with the citizen is able to report that abuse in a safe and secure manner.  This need is especially prevalent in incidents of domestic violence involving law enforcement officers.  Although the issue of risk or apprehension on the part of individuals bringing domestic violence complaints against law enforcement officers is serious and urgent, this measure requires further discussion and consideration.

     Your Committee has therefore amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2364, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2364, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair