STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1503-12

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

 

RE:   S.B. No. 223

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 223, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC ABUSE ORDERS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to protect victims of domestic abuse by requiring a police officer to order a person whom the officer has reasonable grounds to believe has physically abused or harmed a family or household member to have no contact with the family or household member for a 24-hour period, or longer if the incident occurs on the weekend, when the police officer has reasonable grounds to believe that there is probable danger of further physical abuse or harm to the family or household member.

 

     The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Action Center, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Office of the Public Defender provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by requiring, rather than allowing, a police officer to seize all firearms and ammunition that the police officer has reasonable grounds to believe were used or threatened to be used in cases where the officer reasonably believes that physical abuse or harm was inflicted by a person upon a family or household member.

 

     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 S.B. No. 223, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 223, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

		____________________________ GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair