STAND. COM. REP. NO. 11

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 598

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 598 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROTECTIVE ORDERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Hawaiʻi Hope Card Program within the Department of the Attorney General to issue hope cards upon request to those holding a long-term protective order, with specified relevant information about the protective orders and all covered parties;

(2) Establish the Hawaiʻi Hope Card Special Fund; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that protective orders are essential tools that can increase safety for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, abuse of vulnerable adults, and unlawful harassment. Individuals who receive protective orders, however, are forced to either always carry a paper copy of the order with them, an inconvenient option that could result in the document being damaged or lost, or risk not having access to proper documentation should assistance from law enforcement or emergency services become necessary. Other states, including Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, have successfully implemented a solution by establishing hope card programs. Hope cards are durable, laminated cards that contain the vital information about a protective order that first responders need to quickly verify its existence. By establishing the State's own Hope Card Program, this measure will make it easier for individuals with protective orders to receive assistance from law enforcement or other emergency services.

Your Committee notes that this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $450,000 for the Department of the Attorney General to administer the Hawaiʻi Hope Card Program.

Your Committee further notes the testimony of the Department of the Attorney General that ongoing operation expenses of the Hawaiʻi Hope Card Program established by this measure would amount to approximately $110,000 annually.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of April 23, 2057, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 598, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 598, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair