STAND. COM. REP. NO. 797

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 92

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 92 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POLICE REPORTS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow surviving immediate family members of murder or manslaughter victims to access a copy of the closing report prepared by the investigating police department, upon the conclusion of all criminal and civil proceedings that arose from the offense.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that accessing the closing report upon the conclusion of criminal and civil proceedings can help the surviving family members of murder or manslaughter victims to process their loss and begin healing.  Your Committee further finds that allowing family members to receive a copy of the report will avoid situations in which the surviving family members are forced to view the report at a police station or other institutional setting.  Your Committee additionally finds that sharing a single copy may be impractical if surviving family members do not live near one another.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by making each immediate family member eligible to receive a copy of the closing report.

 

     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 S.B. No. 92, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 92, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair