REPORT TITLE:
Hate Crimes Data Compilation


DESCRIPTION:
Creates a temporary pilot program to compile, track, and analyze
hate crimes data. (SB605 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        605
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Crimes and threats against persons because of
 
 2 their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender,
 
 3 transgender, sexual orientation, age, or disability are a
 
 4 significant and growing problem across the nation.  This is an
 
 5 issue debated nationally and is currently pending before the
 
 6 United States Congress.
 
 7      According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC),
 
 8 however, Hawaii is not a center of hate crime activity compared
 
 9 to other states.  The SPLC recorded only one nonviolent hate
 
10 crime for 1998, in Keaau, Hawaii, where a swastika and "heil,
 
11 Hitler" were sprayed-painted on an elementary and intermediate
 
12 school.  The legislature finds that the lack of information
 
13 regarding actual hate crimes perpetrated in Hawaii has caused a
 
14 real need to gather and evaluate hate crimes data at the state
 
15 level.
 
16      The purpose of this Act is to establish a temporary pilot
 
17 program to compile, track, and analyze hate crimes data in the
 
18 State of Hawaii.
 
19      SECTION 2.  (a)  There is created a temporary pilot program,
 
20 to be administrated by the department of the attorney general for
 
21 the collection, storage, dissemination, and analysis of all hate
 

 
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 1 crime data from all agencies that have primary investigative
 
 2 action, or program responsibility for adult or juvenile offenses,
 
 3 including the county police departments, the county prosecutors,
 
 4 the family courts, and the departments or agencies responsible
 
 5 for administering any correctional facilities.
 
 6      (b)  Agencies that have investigative, detention, custodial,
 
 7 adjudicative, or program responsibility for adult or juvenile
 
 8 offenses shall cooperate with the attorney general in the
 
 9 establishing of the temporary hate crime reporting pilot program
 
10 by:
 
11      (1)  Providing information that are in the agency files that
 
12           can be included pursuant to the format approved by the
 
13           attorney general;
 
14      (2)  Maintaining internal procedures consistent with uniform
 
15           procedures and guidelines as provided by the attorney
 
16           general;
 
17      (3)  Reporting information to the attorney general that is
 
18           timely, complete, and accurate after the occurrence of
 
19           an event over which the agency had direct
 
20           responsibility; and
 
21      (4)  Maintaining procedures for the periodic checking of
 
22           information to minimize the possibility of storing and
 
23           maintaining inaccurate information.
 

 
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 1      (c)  The attorney general shall summarize and analyze
 
 2 reports of hate crimes that are received, and shall compile and
 
 3 transmit a report of hate crime data to the legislature by
 
 4 January 10, 2000.
 
 5      (d)  One hundred twenty days after the submission to the
 
 6 legislature of its final report, the pilot program shall cease to
 
 7 exist.
 
 8      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.