STAND. COM. REP. NO. 528-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 3018
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 3018 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to mandate that police not
identify a person reporting a case of child abuse or neglect
unless ordered by the court. This bill also allows the person
reporting the abuse to report either to the Department of Human
Services (DHS) or to the police.

     The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for the City and
County of Honolulu, the Office of Information Practices, and the
Sex Abuse Treatment Center testified in support of the bill.  The
Department of Education testified in support of the intent of the
measure.

     Your Committee finds that this bill would allow persons with
knowledge of child abuse or neglect to come forward without fear
of retribution.  Further, your Committee finds that reporting
cases of child abuse or neglect to both the DHS Services and to
the police is redundant. Your Committee believes that reporting
to either of the these government agencies is sufficient. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 3018 and recommends that it pass Second
Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 528-00
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                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary &
                                   Hawaiian Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair