STAND. COM. REP. NO. 753

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 175

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 175 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEX TRAFFICKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to include coercion as a means of committing the offense of sex trafficking.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Maui Police Department, Imua Alliance, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender.

Your Committee finds that the existing statutory description for the offense of sex trafficking may inadequately cover instances the offense was meant to address. Under the existing offense of sex trafficking, prostitution advanced by means of force, threat, fraud, or intimidation are covered. However, there have been instances when the state courts have indicated that a particular set of facts did not fit within these means. This measure seeks to remedy this gap by adding coercion to the listed means for committing the offense of sex trafficking.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 175, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 175, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair