STAND. COM. REP. NO. 262

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1098

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1098 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMES AGAINST PROTECTIVE SERVICES WORKERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Specify that intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a protective services worker who is engaged in the performance of the worker's duties is a class C felony; and

(2) Clarify that a protective services worker is a public servant for the purposes of the offense of terroristic threatening in the first degree.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement; Department of Human Services; Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu; and Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that protective services workers play a critical role in preventing, investigating, and intervening in cases of abuse and neglect involving children and vulnerable adults. However, these workers are often targets of physical violence and death threats, creating significant safety concerns that impact their well-being and ability to perform their duties effectively. This measure seeks to deter assaults and terroristic threats against protective services workers, ensuring a safer work environment and maintaining the integrity of protective services for Hawaii's most vulnerable populations.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1098, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1098, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair