STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1687

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

 

RE:   H.C.R. No. 69

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 69 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXPRESSING COMMITMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support the basis of our representative democracy and the rights of America's citizens by:

 

     (1)  Expressing the Legislature's commitment to the rights and liberties enshrined within the Constitution of the United States and in particular, the Fifth Amendment right to due process, the Sixth Amendment right to trial, and the Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment;

 

     (2)  Requesting public agencies of the State and the counties to decline requests by federal agencies acting under detention powers granted by the National Defense Authorization Act or any authorization of force that could infringe upon the constitutional freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, privacy, or rights to counsel;

 

     (3)  Requesting federal and state law enforcement officials acting in Hawaii to work in accordance with local laws and in cooperation with the county police, by allowing any detainees among Hawaii's residents or visitors access to a trial, counsel, and due process, as provided by Article III of the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and Article I of the Hawaii State Constitution; and

 

     (4)  Requesting the members of Hawaii's Congressional delegation to monitor the implementation of the National Defense Authorization Act and actively work for the repeal of the National Defense Authorization Act's detention provisions, in order to restore fundamental rights and liberties embodied in the Hawaii State Constitution and the Constitution of the United States.   

 

     The Japanese American Citizens League - Honolulu Chapter and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.   

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 69 and recommends its adoption.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

K. MARK TAKAI, Chair