STAND. COM. REP. NO. 30

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 733

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 733 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERSISTENT NONSUPPORT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the felony offense of persistent nonsupport in the first degree when a person knowingly and persistently fails to provide support to a child, spouse, or other dependent to whom the person has a legal obligation of support for five years or longer, or is $30,000 or more in arrears.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that under existing law, the offense of persistent nonsupport is a misdemeanor and only covers circumstances in which a person knowingly and persistently fails to provide legally-obligated support to a spouse, child, or other dependent.  This measure therefore establishes the felony offense of persistent nonsupport in the first degree to cover more egregious situations in which a person knowingly and persistently fails to provide legally-obligated support for five years or longer, or is $30,000 or more in arrears.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 733, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 733, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

 

 

 

________________________________

RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair