STAND. COM. REP. NO. 721

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 410

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 410, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ABUSE OF FAMILY OR HOUSEHOLD MEMBER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to add abuse of a family or household member to those felonies that qualify for repeat offender sentencing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Honolulu Police Department, Domestic Violence Action Center, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender.

Your Committee finds that abuse of family or household member offenses are among the most repeated offenses. The seriousness of this violent crime warrants mandatory minimum sentencing to hold repeat offenders accountable.  Your Committee further finds that amendments to the mandatory minimum sentencing law, section 709-606.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, have not been comprehensive, and abuse of family or household member offenses were not added to the list of offenses that qualify for repeat offender sentencing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of May 6, 2137, to encourage further discussion.

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. 410, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 410, S.D. 2.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair