STAND. COM. REP. NO. 815

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 292

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. 292 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEXUAL EXPLOITATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish safe harbor protections for survivors of sexual exploitation who seek medical or law enforcement assistance.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Honolulu Police Department, Imua Alliance, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that sex trafficking is a profoundly prevalent crime in the State. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic saw demand for sex exploitation victim services in the State increase by more than three hundred percent. Your Committee further finds that over thirty states have existing safe harbor protections for sex trafficking victims. This measure will support survivors of sexual exploitation by providing legal protections when those survivors seek emergency services.

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. 292, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 292, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair