STAND. COM. REP. NO. 425

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 262

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 262 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Department of the Attorney General to expend up to $50,000 from the criminal forfeiture fund each year beginning in fiscal year 2017-2018 for the Hawaii internet crimes against children program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

     Your Committee finds that the internet crimes against children special fund was established to assist law enforcement to investigate and prosecute internet crimes against children and groups working directly to combat internet crimes against children.  By authorizing the Department of the Attorney General to expend up to $50,000 from the criminal forfeiture fund each year for efforts in combatting internet crimes against children, this measure will further assist in protecting children.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying for the purposes of accuracy that the department of the attorney general is authorized to transfer up to $50,000 per year from the criminal forfeiture fund into the internet crimes against children special fund, rather than directly expend those criminal forfeiture funds for the Hawaii internet crimes against children program;

     (2)  Authorizing the deposit of monies transferred from the criminal forfeiture fund into the internet crimes against children special fund under section 846F-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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. 262, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 262, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair