STAND. COM. REP. NO.  61

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 681

      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 Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 681 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

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

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Action Center, and one individual testified in support of this measure.  The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers testified in opposition.  The City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2075, to facilitate further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 681, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 681, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

DEE MORIKAWA, Chair