STAND. COM. REP. NO.  374

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 28

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 28 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEAD HUMAN BODIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the sale of dead human bodies, including human bodies or remains that have been plastinated through the use of polymers, and to raise the monetary penalty for misuse of a dead human body from $1,000 to $5,000.

 

     The American Association of Clinical Anatomists, the Laogai Research Foundation, and several concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.

 

     Your Committee notes that the use of the phrase "death recently occurred" in the proposed definition of "dead human body" may be too vague to allow clear understanding and proper enforcement of the prohibition.  Your Committee has directed proponents of the measure to clarify this matter for future consideration.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2046, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making nonsubstantive, technical revisions for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 28, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 28, H.D. 1.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JON RIKI KARAMATSU, Chair