STAND. COM. REP. NO.  803

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 476

      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. 476 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ABUSE OF FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make the abuse of a family or household member under the age of fourteen a class C felony.

The County of Kauai Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Hawaii Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and several individuals testified in support of the measure.  The Office of the Public Defender testified in opposition.  The City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further 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. 476, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 476, 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