STAND. COM. REP. NO.1157

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 135

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 135, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL MATCHMAKING ORGANIZATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enable persons recruited from foreign countries as prospective spouses by international matchmaking organizations to obtain criminal record and marital history information about their prospective partners who are Hawaii residents.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the Washington State Representative from the Eleventh District, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that many foreign women who utilize international matchmaking services come from the poorest regions of Asia. In order to escape their impoverished conditions, they make themselves available as potential mates for men who subscribe to international matchmaking services. With little information provided about their future partners, these women are at risk for abuse if they unknowingly enter into a relationship with someone who has a history of violence or domestic abuse. This measure will facilitate a more open matchmaking process by providing access to criminal and marital history information to matchmaking recruits and by requiring that matchmaking organizations inform recruits of the availability of this information.

Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with the language of a similar measure, S.B. No. 875, S.D. 1. As amended, this measure:

(1) Excludes from the definition of "international matchmaking organization", a traditional matchmaking organization of a religious nature that operates in compliance with the laws of the countries of its recruits and the laws of the United States and any organization, or that does not charge a fee to any party for services provided;

(2) Requires notices provided to matchmaking recruits informing them of the availability of criminal and marital history information to be displayed in a highly noticeable, rather than a conspicuous manner; and

(3) Requires the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center to disseminate to an international matchmaking organization designated by an applicant the applicant's criminal conviction record or a statement verifying the absence thereof.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 135, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 135, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair