STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3330

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2242

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2242, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIME,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address issues that have arisen due to the use of new technology by making the following criminal offenses applicable to electronic or digital statements, documents, or records:

 

     (1)  Falsifying business records;

 

     (2)  Obtaining a government-issued identification document under false pretenses in the first degree;

 

     (3)  Obtaining a government-issued identification document under false pretenses in the second degree;

 

     (4)  Tampering with a government record; and

 

     (5)  Unsworn falsification to authorities.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that with current technology, many transactions are handled electronically and records are often kept in electronic or digital form.  In 2000, Hawaii adopted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, chapter 489E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to recognize the need to establish the legal validity of electronic records, signatures, and contracts.  However, criminal offenses have not been updated to take into account the prevalent use of new technology and the consequent use of new technology to commit a variety of crimes.  This measure protects consumers by making relevant criminal offenses also applicable to electronic or digital statements, documents, or records.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2242, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair