STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1710

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 158
                                        S.D. 2




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred
S.C.R. No. 158, S.D. 1, entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE
     REFERENCE BUREAU TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY
     POTENTIAL LEGISLATION ON COMPUTER CRIMES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this Concurrent Resolution is to study
potential legislation on computer crimes.

     Your Committee finds that the increased use of and reliance
on personal computers has opened the possibility of computer
harassment, cyber-stalking, computer trespass, invasion of
privacy, spamming, and identity theft, activities that the
residents of this State should be protected from, to the greatest
extent possible.  The law regarding state jurisdiction in regard
to these and other areas is unclear and unsettled, however.
Before the State can enact laws to protect its residents, the
State needs to know the extent of its jurisdiction and ability to
do so.  Your Committee finds that a study is necessary to
determine these issues, and, once determined, recommend potential
legislation to provide the appropriate legal safeguards.

     Your Committee has amended the Concurrent Resolution by
deleting references to the working group and instead requesting

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1710
                                   Page 2


the Bureau to consult with the agencies that formerly comprised
the working group.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 158,
S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the
form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 158, S.D. 2.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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