STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1259

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 264

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 264 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMES AGAINST SPORTS OFFICIALS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Make intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to a sports official a class C felony; and

 

     (2)  Authorize a court to enjoin the offender from attending any sports event of the type at which the sports official was engaged in the lawful discharge of the sports official's duties.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Honolulu Policy Department, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Office of the Public Defender.

 

     Your Committee finds that there is a shortage of sports officials and although there are several factors responsible for this shortage, harassment by unruly spectators and fans is a major contributing factor, especially when threats to cause bodily harm and other more serious assaultive conduct are made.  This measure provides added protection of the justice system for sports official when threats and bodily harm are made by spectators and fans.

 

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

 

     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. 264, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 264, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair