STAND. COM. REP. NO.87-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 1753

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1753 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PENAL CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to make an assault against a firefighter or uniformed emergency medical service personnel a misdemeanor offense.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety and a concerned paramedic. The Office of the Public Defender testified in opposition to this bill.

Police officers are not the only emergency service personnel that are put at risk of assault while carrying out their duties protecting the public safety. However, your Committee leaves it to your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs to deliberate the following concerns raised during discussion of this measure:

    1. There may be reasons to elevate this offense from a misdemeanor to a felony;
    2. The reference to "uniformed" emergency medical service personnel may exclude off-duty or un-uniformed qualified personnel who may be assaulted; and
    3. The term "law enforcement officer" may be more appropriate than that of "police officer" currently in statute.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1753 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

 

____________________________

NESTOR GARCIA, Chair