STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1919

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1037

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 1037, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the offense of abuse of family or household member by amending the type of physical abuse that constitutes strangulation to include blocking the nose and mouth or applying pressure to the chest. This measure also clarifies that infliction of a visible bodily injury is not required to establish the offense.

The Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women, County of Hawai‘i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Kaua‘i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Parents And Children Together, and an individual testified in support of this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to January 28, 2081; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment.

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 S.B. No. 1037, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1037, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair