Report Title:

Sexual Assault Services; DOH; Appropriation

Description:

Makes appropriation to Department of Health for sexual assault services. (HB735 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

735

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that:

(1) The department of the attorney general's "Crime in Hawaii 2001" reported that there was a 16.8 per cent increase in forcible rape from 2000, with eighty-two per cent of forcible rapes committed by adults, eighteen per cent by minors, ninety-five per cent by males, and five per cent by females;

(3) Resources are being diminished in the effort to fight sexual assault;

(2) Sexual assault is an underreported crime, with an estimated 29.9 per cent being reported to police in Hawaii, according to the state attorney general;

(4) Funding to increase sexual assault programs would increase the probability of reporting by ten per cent, according to the state attorney general; and

(5) Reports from organizations receiving state funding for sexual assault programs indicate that every day, an average of 1.4 victims report a sexual assault, 3.5 victims receive counseling services, and 109.8 adults and youth receive sexual assault prevention and awareness education.

Sexual assault services include crisis intervention, medical and legal examinations, clinical and legal systems advocacy, community health promotions (including targeted, concerted prevention and education efforts) in the schools, community agency collaboration, statewide master contract program services, statewide medical/legal collaboration, sexual assault programs in the domestic violence shelters, research, and training. The statewide service providers are the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children – Sex Abuse Treatment Center (Oahu), YWCA Sexual Assault Victim Empowerment (Hawaii), Child and Family Services – Sexual Assault Support Services (Maui), and YWCA Sexual Assault Treatment Program (Kauai). Statewide funding partnerships for the delivery of sexual assault services include the city and county of Honolulu, county of Hawaii, county of Maui, department of health (DOH), department of human services, Victims of Crime Act program, Violence Against Women Act program, and private entities.

The legislature further finds that:

(1) Over fifty per cent of the funding for sexual assault services in Hawaii is provided through DOH;

(2) DOH funding for sexual assault services decreased thirty-two per cent from 1992 to 1996 and has remained at that same level since then;

(3) The cost to deliver sexual assault services has increased substantially since 1996, as well as the demand for services; and

(4) For fiscal year 2003, due to insufficient funding in the DOH budget, services will be reduced or eliminated, including eliminating crisis services on weekends and holidays on Kauai, reducing counseling services on Maui, eliminating services to school children and college students on Hawaii, and reducing education services to school-age children and the level of accountability of master contract service provision on Oahu.

The purpose of this Act is to make an appropriation for sexual assault services.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2003-2004 for the provision of sexual assault services.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003.