STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1265

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.R. No. 83

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.R. No. 83 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of the Attorney General to develop and implement a program to prevent, and to assist victims of, human trafficking and child commercial sexual exploitation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Judiciary, and Ho‘ōla Nā Pua. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Harm Reduction Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that twenty-three percent of human trafficking survivors in Hawaii report that they were children when they were first sex trafficked. Your Committee further finds that human trafficking can be difficult to detect, and exploited youth may not seek help or identify themselves as victims. A victim-centered and offender-focused program in the State will help serve individuals, especially children, who have been sexually exploited.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending its title to read, "REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO PREVENT, AND TO ASSIST VICTIMS OF, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND CHILD COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION."; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 83, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 83, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair