STAND. COM. REP. NO.  627-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2038

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2038, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish additional fee-based penalties for certain offenses involving labor trafficking, prostitution, and human trafficking which shall be deposited into a special fund to support services for victims of these offenses.

Hawaii Catholic Conference, Hawaii Family Forum, Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery, Courage House Hawaii, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Office of Community Services, Department of Budget and Finance, IMUAlliance, and an individual provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2038, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair