STAND. COM. REP. NO. 615

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 595

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 595, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RECORDINGS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the right of a person to record law enforcement activities and a private right of action for any violation of the right to record law enforcement activities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that this measure codifies the constitutional right to record police activity, as recognized by the Hawaii Supreme Court in State v. Russo, 141 Haw. 181 (2017). This measure would also promote police accountability by creating a statutory right of action.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 595, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 595, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair