STAND. COM. REP. NO. 500

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1417

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1417 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish that:

(1) Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a protective services worker who is engaged in the performance of the worker's duties constitutes an offense of assault in the second degree; and

(2) Terroristic threatening of a protective services worker constitutes an offense of terroristic threatening in the first degree.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Law Enforcement, and Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committee finds that protective services workers perform essential public services as they investigate, prevent, and address abuse and neglect of children and vulnerable adults. Your Committee further finds that these state workers face the results of trauma and violence on a daily basis and also experience threats of violence and harassment while performing their job duties and while in the community. This measure supports the health and well-being of protective services staff and the effective continuation of their important work statewide.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1417 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair