STAND. COM. REP. NO. 866

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 384

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 384, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an address confidentiality program to allow victims of various crimes to relocate to new addresses and keep those new addresses confidential.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, GLBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii Women Lawyers, PHOCUSED, and the Sex Abuse Treatment Center.  The Department of Accounting and General Services submitted written comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that domestic violence, sexual offenses, and stalking are crimes that leave victims in a constant state of apprehension.  Even when a victim is initially able to evade their aggressor, the victim's safety is not fully guaranteed.  Violent perpetrators of these crimes are often resourceful and determined to locate their victims again.

     Your Committee also finds that due to modern technology, it is easier than ever to obtain personal information.  Social media, search engines, and other online resources make it difficult for victims to evade aggressors who seek them out.  Establishing an address confidentiality program will increase a victim's ability to maintain the victim's privacy and safety.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Attaching the address confidentiality program to the Crime Victim Compensation Commission rather than the Department of Accounting and General Services; and

(2)  Adding sexual offenses to the list of crimes subject to the address confidentiality program surcharge.

     Your Committee also intends that further consideration be given to determining which agency may appropriately administer the address confidentiality program.  Your Committee is willing to consider an agency other than the Crime Victim Compensation Commission for this program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 384, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 384, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair