STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2092

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2321

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2321 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require training on domestic violence intervention for state and county employees who act as interveners in domestic violence situations.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Family Support Hawaii, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, American Association of University Women Hawaii, Domestic Violence Action Center, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Parents and Children Together, and four individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu and Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Fire Council, Fire Department of the County of Kauai, and Honolulu Emergency Services Department.

 

     Your Committee finds that domestic violence is a serious social issue in Hawaii.  State and county employees, including law enforcement officers, emergency medical services personnel, firefighters, and judges, can encounter domestic violence situations in the course of their duties.  Domestic violence situations are often complex, sensitive, and difficult to handle effectively.  It is appropriate and in the public interest to require state and county employees who may encounter domestic violence situations in the course of carrying out their regular duties to receive training on how to properly intervene in such situations.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the required number of hours of training from fifteen to eight;

 

     (2)  Adding a new section appropriating funds to be expended by the Department of Public Safety for the purpose of providing domestic violence intervention training; and

 

     (3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2016.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2321, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2321, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Labor and Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair