STAND. COM. REP. NO. 931

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1149

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1149, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HATE CRIMES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Define "reported hate crime";

(2) Require reporting of all possible reported hate crimes to appropriate authorities, including consistent documentation and analysis of such incidents;

(3) Require law enforcement officers to receive annual training to identify, investigate, and document hate crimes and possible hate crimes; and

(4) Require the Attorney General to establish or update guidelines, protocols, and training materials for the reporting and investigation of hate crimes and possible hate crimes.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Commission; Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission; Education Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Pride at Work Hawaiʻi; Rainbow Family 808; and thirteen individuals.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaiian Islands Republican Women and forty‑four individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committees find that hate crimes can significantly disrupt the stability of a community, intimidating individuals and families through fear. While existing law codifies various characteristics of an individual's identity, instances of bias‑motivated violence are significantly underreported statewide. Without accurate, standardized data reporting processes, the full scope of hate-motivated violence remains incomplete. Therefore, this measure ensures consistent reporting requirements for hate crimes to protect all individuals in the State.

Your Committees note the comments raised in the testimony submitted by the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission regarding their report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to S. C. R. No. 66, S.D., H.D. 1, (2021), titled "Addressing Racism in Hawaiʻi: Looking Back, During the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Moving Forward" which recommends, in part, that law enforcement agencies and the Attorney General should continue to migrate to police-level hate crime data reporting.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on 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. 1149, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair