STAND. COM. REP. NO. 218

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 109

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 109 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POLICE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require county police commissions to establish procedures regarding the suspension, removal from a specified duty for disciplinary reasons, or termination of any police officer.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Remington College Honolulu Criminal Justice Student Coalition, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and fourteen individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that there is great concern regarding the oversight of the Honolulu Police Department following a recent domestic violence incident involving a police officer and his former girlfriend.  Allowing a police officer involved in a domestic violence incident to retain the officer's position sends the wrong message to the citizens of Hawaii.  Implementation of this measure will increase the credibility of the county police departments and restore confidence in advocates and victims of domestic violence.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 109, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 109, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair