STAND. COM. REP. NO.  616

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 538

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 538, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist victims of domestic abuse to retain the use of an existing wireless telephone number by allowing the family court to issue an order requiring the wireless telecommunications service provider to transfer the billing authority and all rights to the wireless telephone number to the victim, if the victim is not the account holder.

The Hawaii Women's Coalition and two concerned individuals testified in support of the measure.  The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and PHOCUSED testified in support of the intent of this measure, but objected to provisions of this measure in its present form.  The Domestic Violence Action Center testified in opposition.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 538, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair