STAND. COM. REP. NO.  330-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1985

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1985 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to protect public housing residents and visitors by making it a trespass offense to unlawfully remain in a public housing project.

 

     The Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Honolulu Police Department (HPD), and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  A concerned individual provided comments.

 

     Your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Judiciary to examine civil rights and constitutional issues related to this measure.  HPD indicated that public housing projects are considered a quasi-private area, which has prevented arrests for public consumption of liquor and trespassing.  This measure would allow arrests to be made.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1985 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 Human Services & Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair