STAND. COM. REP. NO. 644

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 720
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Public Employment, to which was
referred H.B. No. 720 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII PENAL CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to classify assaults against
an employee of the state or any of its political subdivisions as
a class C felony.

     The Hawaii Government Employees Association testified in
support of this measure.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
measure by:

     (1)  Deleting assaults against correctional workers and
          educational workers or volunteers as a class C felony;
          and

     (2)  Expanding existing protection under the law to classify
          assaults against any state and county employee or
          volunteer as a class C felony.

     Your Committee finds that in this age of government
downsizing and streamlining, there are fewer government employees
to service and handle increased numbers of the public.  At times,
members of the public have become impatient, stressed, and in
extreme situations, violent, because of perceived government

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 644
                                 Page 2

 
inefficiency and ineffectiveness.  Although the media frequently
focuses on assaults on correctional and educational workers, your
Committee finds that all government employees are at risk.
Public employees who have been assaulted in the course of regular
work duties, have ranged from white collar, nonsupervisory
positions, such as clerks and law enforcement, to professional
and scientific positions, such as social workers.  This measure
deletes the protection carved out for only correctional and
educational workers and extends protection to all state and
county employees and volunteers.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Public Employment that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 720, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 720, H.D.
1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian
Affairs.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and Public
                                   Employment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   TERRY NUI YOSHINAGA, Chair