STAND. COM. REP. NO. 979-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2057

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2057, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROOF OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE VICTIM STATUS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Standardize the types of documents accepted as proof of domestic or sexual violence victim status; and

(2) Specify that certified or exemplified restraining orders, rather than valid restraining orders and records or files of a court or government agency, are documents that will be accepted as proof of domestic or sexual violence victim status.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Domestic Violence Action Center, Hawaii Women's Coalition, AAUW of Hawaii, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Your Committee finds that victims of domestic or sexual violence may be discouraged from seeking assistance under Hawaii law due to the varying statutory requirements for documentation of victim status. Your Committee believes that establishing conformity regarding the documents accepted as proof of domestic or sexual violence victim status under Hawaii law will ease the paperwork burden and stress for victims of domestic or sexual violence seeking essential services and assistance.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that evidence of domestic or sexual violence for the purposes of good cause for separation from part-time employment under the Hawaii Employment Security Law includes documentation from certain individuals from whom an employee's minor child has sought assistance in relation to the domestic or sexual violence; and

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

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. 2057, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2057, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair