STAND. COM. REP. NO.59

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 661

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 661 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEXUAL ASSAULT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a sexual assault prevention special fund for sexual abuse prevention programs and deposit a portion of the marriage license fees into the special fund.

Testimony supporting this measure was received from the Department of Health, Sex Abuse Treatment Center, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, and YWCA of Hawaii Island. Opposing testimony was received from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that sexual assault is an epidemic that affects men, women, and children in Hawaii. In addition to the injuries sustained from sexual assault, victims may be at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, psychological trauma, social problems, and developmental disabilities.

Your Committee believes that education and prevention services are key to raising awareness among children and other at-risk groups, informing victims of available services to ensure they receive treatment, and deterring further sexual assaults. This measure provides the funds for these necessary and important sexual education and prevention services.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 661, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 661, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair