STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2430

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2395

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2395 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A SEX TRAFFICKING EMERGENCY SHELTER,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allow the Department of Human Services to establish or contract with a victim service provider to operate and manage a sex trafficking emergency shelter;

(2) Provide general excise tax and fee exemptions for the victim service provider of the sex trafficking emergency shelter; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the Department to establish or contract with the victim service provider to operate and manage a sex trafficking emergency shelter.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from UNITE, IMUAlliance, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and three individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Taxation, and Hawaii Youth Services Network.

Your Committees find that Hawaii is a highly sought after tourist destination and lucrative place for national and international events, which can create a demand for prostitution, which sometimes involves sex trafficking. Your Committees further find that sixty percent of children being sex trafficked are under the age of sixteen years, with the average age being thirteen. The establishment of an emergency shelter will provide these individuals necessary assistance and support.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language requiring a sex trafficking emergency shelter established pursuant to this measure to comply with any federal or state licensing requirements for residential facilities for minors;

(2) Amending the definition of "victim" for purposes of clarity;

(3) Making the general excise tax exemption effective on January 1, 2019, to allow sufficient time for the Department of Taxation to make necessary form and computer system changes; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2395, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2395, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Judiciary,

________________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair