STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1737

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 807

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 807, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the misdemeanor offense of unsworn falsification to authorities to include knowingly making a false statement to a state investigator or county inspector in certain circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu City Council, HI Good Neighbor, and seventy-two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee finds that the enforcement of county ordinances and state agency rules is often undermined by a lack of consequences for failure to comply with enforcement efforts. Your Committee further finds that this difficulty in enforcement can result in the construction of large, multi-unit "monster homes" and the operation of vacation rentals without regard to building codes, zoning codes, and tax laws. This measure will assist enforcement efforts by including making false statements to state investigators or county inspectors in certain circumstances within the offense of unsworn falsification to authorities. This will help deter individuals from providing false information to state investigators and county inspectors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

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. 807, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 807, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair