Report Title:

Criminal trespass; second degree

 

Description:

Makes criminal trespass in the second degree applicable to public housing projects administered by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1363

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

RELATING TO CRIMINAL TRESPASS IN THE SECOND DEGREE.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that public housing properties administered by the Hawaii public housing authority are considered private residential properties for purposes of criminal law and similarly face problems with trespassers.  Many times these trespassers loiter, vandalize, and abuse alcohol on public housing properties.

     SECTION 2.  Section 708-814, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "(1) A person commits the offenses of criminal trespass in the second degree if:

    (a)   The person knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in or upon premises that are enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders or are fenced;

    (b)   The person enters or remains unlawfully in or upon commercial premises after a reasonable warning or request to leave by the owner or lessee of the commercial premises, the owner’s or lessee’s authorized agent, or a police officer; provided that this paragraph shall not apply to any conduct or activity subject to regulation by the National Labor Relations Act[.];

              [For purposes of this paragraph, "reasonable warning or request" means a warning or request communicated in writing at any time within a one-year period inclusive of the date the incident occurred, which may contain but is not limited to the following information:

         (i)  A warning statement advising the person that the person's presence is no longer desired on the property for a period of one year from the date of the notice, that a violation of the warning will subject the person to arrest and prosecution for trespassing pursuant to section 708-814(1)(b), and that criminal trespass in the second degree is a petty misdemeanor;

        (ii)  The legal name, any aliases, and a photograph, if practicable, or a physical description, including but not limited to sex, racial extraction, age, height, weight, hair color, eye color, or any other distinguishing characteristics of the person warned;

       (iii)  The name of the person giving the warning along with the date and time the warning was given; and

        (iv)  The signature of the person giving the warning, the signature of a witness or police officer who was present when the warning was given and, if possible, the signature of the violator; or]

    (c)   The person enters or remains on agricultural lands without the permission of the owner of the land, the owner’s agent, or the person in lawful possession of the land, and the agricultural lands:

         (i)  Are fenced, enclosed, or secured in a manner designed to exclude intruders;

        (ii)  Have a sign or signs displayed on the unenclosed cultivated or uncultivated agricultural land sufficient to give notice and reading as follows:  “Private Property.”  The sign or signs, containing letters not less than two inches in height, shall be placed along the boundary line of the land at roads and trails entering the land in a manner and position as to be clearly noticeable from outside the boundary line; or

       (iii)  At the time of entry, have a visible presence of a crop:

              (A)  Under cultivation;

              (B)  In the process of being harvested; or

              (C)  That has been harvested[.]; or

    (d)   The person enters or remains unlawfully in or upon the premises of any public housing project, after reasonable warning or request to leave by housing authorities or a police officer.  For purposes of this section, "public housing project" means a housing project directly controlled, owned, developed, or managed by the Hawaii public housing authority or the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation pursuant to parts II, III, and IV of chapter 356D.

     (2)  For purposes of this section, "reasonable warning or request" means a warning or request communicated in writing at any time within a one-year period inclusive of the date the incident occurred, which may contain but is not limited to the following information:

    (a)   A warning statement advising the person that the person's presence is no longer desired on the property for a period of one year from the date of the notice, that a violation of the warning will subject the person to arrest and prosecution for trespassing pursuant to section 708-814(1)(b), and that criminal trespass in the second degree is a petty misdemeanor;

    (b)   The legal name, any aliases, and a photograph, if practicable, or a physical description, including but not limited to sex, racial extraction, age, height, weight, hair color, eye color, or any other distinguishing characteristics of the person warned;

    (c)   The name of the person giving the warning along with the date and time the warning was given; and

    (d)   The signature of the person giving the warning, the signature of a witness or police officer who was present when the warning was given and, if possible, the signature of the violator.

     [(2)](3)  Criminal trespass in the second degree is a petty misdemeanor."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun, before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed

and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

BY REQUEST