STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2082

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2346

       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. 2346 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an address confidentiality program to help survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking to relocate and keep the location of their physical address confidential.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaii Women Lawyers, American Association of University Women of Hawaii, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, Domestic Violence Action Center, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Parents and Children Together, and eleven individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Taxation.

 

     Your Committee finds that survivors of domestic abuse, sexual offenses, or stalking may move to a new address in order to prevent being found by an assailant or potential assailant, but moving to a new address only provides protection if the assailant or potential assailant does not discover the new address.  Maintaining the confidentiality of a new address is especially difficult in a location such as an island where space is limited.  Each time a survivor is forced to provide an address for public agencies, employment, or court documents, the risk that the address will be discovered by an assailant or potential assailant increases.  An address confidentiality program will provide protection and additional safety for survivors of domestic abuse, sexual offenses, or stalking.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by authorizing the Department of Taxation to require that a program participant provide an actual address if that address is necessary for the assessment of taxes; provided that the substitute address is used as a mailing address and the actual address remains confidential.

 

     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. 2346, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2346, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair