STAND. COM. REP. NO. 926-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 2051

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2051, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROTECTION FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to deter human trafficking by establishing:

(1) Criminal offenses, including trafficking of persons for forced labor or services, involuntary servitude, and penalties for the offenses;

(2) A liaison with the United States Department of Justice to harmonize the state and federal governments' response to trafficking;

(3) A state interagency Anti-trafficking Task Force to carry out various tasks related to human trafficking; and

(4) Appropriations to support the Anti-trafficking Task Force.

The Crime Victim Compensation Commission, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, Hawaii Family Forum, Hawaii Catholic Conference, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, Safe Zone Foundation, Girl Fest Hawaii, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Polaris Project, Hawaii Women's Coalition, and several concerned citizens testified in support of this bill. The Soroptimist International of Windward Oahu supported this measure with amendments. The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and Na Loio—Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center supported the intent of this bill. The Department of Health provided comments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2051, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

 

____________________________

DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Chair