STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2308

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2334

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2334 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES AGAINST SENIORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to lower the age of crimes against seniors to sixty years of age and make certain criminal offenses against seniors applicable regardless of the perpetrator's knowledge of the victim's age.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for County of Maui, Maui County Office on Aging, United Public Workers, Kokua Council, and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State of Hawaii Executive Office on Aging.

Your Committee finds that in light of numerous violent crimes against seniors that existing law requires amendment to add focus as well as stronger deterrents and stricter consequences for crimes against seniors. Your Committee further finds that defining seniors as sixty years of age and older is aligned with the age definition of older citizens in the federal Older Americans Act, which promotes the well-being of seniors. Your Committee additionally finds that the Elder Abuse Unit at the Honolulu Prosecutor's Office is nearing a point at which elder abuse cases have increased to almost double the number of felony domestic violence cases currently being prosecuted. Your Committee believes that increasing penalties as well as lowering the age to sixty years for certain criminal offenses against seniors will increase protection for our vital and vulnerable elder citizens.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2334 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 Human Services,

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RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair