STAND. COM. REP. NO. 210-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1537

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1537 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to update the Children's Justice Program to include the investigation and management of cases involving suspected or confirmed child sex trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children, other child maltreatment, and child witnesses to crime or violence.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary; Department of the Attorney General; Department of Education; Honolulu Police Department; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Kaua‘i; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaii; County of Kauai Victim/Witness Program; Hawai‘i Exploitation and Trafficking Unit; Child and Family Service, Hilo Office; Kids Matter-Friends of the Children's Justice Center of West Hawaii; YWCA of Kaua‘i; Sex Abuse Treatment Center; St. Michael the Archangel Church; Friends of the Children's Justice Center of Kauai; Friends of the Children's Justice Center of Oahu; Parents and Children Together; Susannah Wesley Community Center; Hawaii State Chapter of Children's Justice Centers; Neighborhood Place of Kona; and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Children's Justice Program was established to ensure a fair and neutral process for handling reports of alleged child sexual abuse that protects the rights of victims and alleged perpetrators. This measure would update statutory language to reflect the Program's existing priorities for cases involving sexual abuse of a child, serious physical child abuse, child sex trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation of children, other child maltreatment, and children who are witnesses to crime or violence.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1537 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair