STAND. COM. REP. NO.  115-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 3009

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 3009 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to prevent domestic violence by:

 

     (1)  Establishing minimum and maximum fines for abusing a family or household member;

 

     (2)  Depositing the fines into the Department of Health's (DOH) Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Special Fund (Special Fund); and

 

     (3)  Expanding the Special Fund to include programs for batterers.

 

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported this bill with amendments.  DOH, the Domestic Violence Action Center, and Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic violence opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee notes that several testifiers preferred that the fines be used to assist victims of abuse and noted that the Judiciary has existing programs that provide spouse and child abuse intervention and prevention support and services.  Your

Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Judiciary further examine issues related to the mandatory minimum and maximum fines proposed in this bill.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by depositing the fines into the Judiciary's Spouse and Child Abuse Special Account instead of the Special Fund.  Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3009, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3009, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair