STAND. COM. REP. NO.  147

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1398

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1398 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE GARNISHMENT OF COMMITTED PERSONS' MONEYS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Director of Public Safety to garnish moneys of a committed person to satisfy crime victim compensation fees ordered by a court.

 

     The bill also expands the moneys subject to garnishment to include judgments and settlements received by a committed person.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Crime Victim Compensation Commission.

 

     Your Committee finds that current law requires courts to impose a mandatory crime victim compensation fee against criminal offenders.  These compensation fees are then deposited into the Crime Victim Compensation Special Fund and used to pay compensation to victims of violent crimes.  However, there is no statutory authority for the Director of Public Safety to garnish inmate wages in order to pay these compensation fees.  Your Committee finds that this bill is necessary to provide the Director of Public Safety with that authority to garnish those wages.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1398 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair