STAND. COM. REP. NO. 375-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1625

H.D. 1

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. 1625 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION SPECIAL FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address existing funding shortfalls experienced by the Crime Victim Compensation Commission by exempting the Crime Victim Compensation Special Fund from transfers for central service expenses and from paying reimbursements for departmental administrative expenses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, Crime Victim Compensation Commission, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui, County of Kauai Victim/Witness Program, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Your Committee finds that the Crime Victim Compensation Commission is facing funding problems due to the failure of judges to impose the crime victim compensation fee in all eligible cases and court closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the Commission is required to pay two assessments to the Department of Budget and Finance on all non-tax revenue collected by, or on behalf of, the Commission. Payment of these two assessments limits the amount of funds available for the Commission to pay other operating expenses and victim compensation awards and hinders the Commission's fiscal self-sufficiency. This measure will exempt the Crime Victim Compensation Special Fund from transfers for these reimbursements.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2222, to encourage further discussion; 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 & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1625, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1625, H.D. 1, 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