STAND. COM. REP. NO. 799

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 415

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 415 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIMITATION OF ACTIONS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to extend the period during which a victim of child sexual abuse may bring an otherwise time-barred civil action against the victim's abuser or a legal entity with a duty of care.  The measure retroactively extends the period for civil claims to be brought from April 24, 2012 to April 25, 2020.

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, The Sex Abuse Treatment Center, Hawaii Women's Coalition, IMUAlliance, CHILD USA, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and many individuals testified in support of the measure.  The Department of the Attorney General provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage discussion.

     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. 415, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 415, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair