STAND. COM. REP. NO. 658-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1664

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1664 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC CORRUPTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the penalties for bribery offenses under certain circumstances.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Honolulu Police Department; and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Public Defender and Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Kauaʻi.

Your Committee finds that public servants are in positions of public trust. Your Committee further finds that deterrence of bribery and corruption of public servants should be a high priority. This measure will increase the penalties for bribery offenses by public servants, which will provide law enforcement with tools to adequately deter and commensurately punish public corruption.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adopting language proposed by the Department of the Attorney General which:

(A) Increases the penalties for bribery offenses under certain circumstances by establishing new offenses for bribery in the first and second degrees; and

(B) Defines "bribery" for the purposes of these offenses;

(2) Changing the severability clause to a savings clause;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) 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. 1664, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1664, 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,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair