STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2182

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2743

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2743 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SAFETY ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a program in the Department of the Attorney General responsible for issuing credentials to qualified law enforcement officers pursuant to the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety; Department of the Attorney General; Department of Transportation; Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Maui; Maui Police Department; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that maintaining safety is essential for promoting public welfare. In 2004, the United States Congress enacted the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA), which allows qualified law enforcement officers and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in the United States regardless of state or local laws, with certain restrictions. In 2008, the Department of the Attorney General, with the concurrence of the county chiefs of police, established a LEOSA certification program to comply with LEOSA and enable the Department to issue credentials to qualified retired law enforcement officers in the State. This measure grants the Department of the Attorney General the statutory authority to establish a uniform statewide certificate program with appropriate safeguards to ensure public safety while streamlining multi-island travel by retired law enforcement officers.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2743 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair