STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2705

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2912

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2912, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE INTEGRATED SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend chapter 353E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to reflect nationally recognized best practices in the statewide integrated program for sex offenders, exempt the program from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which includes Sunshine Law requirements, and identify the coordinating body for the sex offender treatment program as the "sex offender management team".

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary and Department of Public Safety.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest.

     Your Committee finds that the complex nature of sexual offending and the harm it has on victims necessitate implementation of nationally recognized best practices for sex offender management.  Implementation of these practices will help ensure the safety of the community while facilitating treatment of offenders.  The clarifying language of this measure will empower the State to enact that implementation.  Your Committee requests the Office of Information Practices to opine on the exemption from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as this measure moves through the legislative process.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, 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 Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2912, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2912, S.D. 2.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair