STAND. COM. REP. NO. 398

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1609

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1609 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNICATIONS FRAUD,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the criminal offense of communication service fraud in the first and second degrees.

 

     This measure also provides the aggrieved communication service provider with civil remedies, including but not limited to the offender forfeiting any unlawful communication or access device or materials to the aggrieved communication service provider.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Hawaiian Telcom and Time Warner Cable.  Written testimony presented to your Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that the laws regarding communication service fraud have not kept pace with the changing technology in the field.  Your Committee finds that establishing the offenses of communication service fraud in the first and second degrees will provide the authorities with statutes that will adequately protect the property rights of communication service providers.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1609, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1609, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development and Technology,

 

 

 

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair