STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2735

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2930

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations, Judiciary, and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2930, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and fund two new units within the Department of the Attorney General:

(1) The Special Investigation and Prosecution Unit; and

(2) The Sex and Human Trafficking Unit.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, The Kupuna Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committees find that recent events have illustrated the critical need to bolster the investigation, enforcement, and prosecution of incidents of fraud, white collar crime, and public corruption. Your Committees further find that there is an urgent need for more proactive law enforcement of sex and human trafficking crimes.

Your Committees additionally find that there are no specialized units within the Department of the Attorney General dedicated solely to the investigation and prosecution of the types of crimes within the purview of the units proposed by this measure. As noted in testimony, including that of Honolulu First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Brady, dedicated units are key to the effective investigation and prosecution of these crimes, as these cases are lengthy, highly complex, and often involve emotionally or politically sensitive issues.

Your Committees note the testimony of Daniel Hanagami, Chief Special Investigator with the Department of the Attorney General, regarding cases that were investigated but did not result in charges. While Mr. Hanagami testified in opposition to the measure, your Committees find that this measure will actually address some of the issues raised in his testimony by forming dedicated units focused solely on the investigation and successful prosecution of crimes within the purview of the units. Your Committees also recognize the mutual interest and experience of the counties in attacking fraud, white collar crime, public corruption, and sex and human trafficking and thus encourage the units to collaborate with county law enforcement agencies.

Accordingly, your Committees find that this measure will promote the delivery of justice to victims and represents the best use of funds by creating units that are highly focused in scope and comprised of investigators, forensic analysts, attorneys, and other support staff with the expertise necessary to collaborate and concentrate efforts on the prevention and prosecution of fraud, white collar crime, public corruption, and sex and human trafficking crimes.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Adding a three-year annual reporting requirement; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations, Judiciary, and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2930, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2930, S.D. 2, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations, Judiciary, and Ways and Means,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair	________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair
	________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair