STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2637

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2189

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2189, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VICTIM RIGHTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Provide that failure of state and county officers and employees to carry out or comply with chapter 801D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to victims' rights, shall provide a basis for disciplinary action, with certain exceptions; and

 

     (2)  Require competent authority to immediately report such disciplinary action to the Legislature.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hoomanapono Political Action Committee; Hoomana Pono, LLC; and ten individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Police Department and Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Maui.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Public Safety.

 

     Your Committee finds that, to be meaningful, victims' legal rights must be enforced.  In order for sufficient enforcement to take place, several states have acted by creating offices to receive and investigate reports of violations of victims' rights.  Other states have acted by creating laws that permit victims to assert their rights in court or established a victim's bill of rights within their state constitutions.  This measure aims to increase enforcement of victims' rights in Hawaii by increasing the accountability of state and county officers and employees.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2189, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair