CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 159-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2305

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2305, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MISSING PERSONS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Silver Alert Program within the Department of Law Enforcement to help locate and safeguard missing persons who are sixty-five years of age or older, cognitively impaired, or developmentally disabled; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee on Conference finds that more than half of states nationwide have established silver alert programs to help identify missing individuals with cognitive impairments, developmental disabilities, or who are the elderly. This measure will help law enforcement and provide immediate information to the public, facilitate a prompt response, and enhance the chances of locating an individual with a developmental disability, cognitive impairment, or who is sixty-five years of age or older.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $250,000 for the Silver Alert Program;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2024; and

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2305, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2305, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ LISA MARTEN Co-Chair	____________________________ GLENN WAKAI Chair
____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Co-Chair
____________________________ CORY CHUN Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair