STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1652

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.C.R. No. 66

S.D. 1

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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 66, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING AND DENOUNCING ALL FORMS OF ANTI-ASIAN SENTIMENT AND ALL ACTS OF RACISM, XENOPHOBIA, INTOLERANCE, DISCRIMINATION, HATE CRIME, AND HATE SPEECH AGAINST ASIAN AMERICANS AND ASIAN INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES AND REQUESTING THE HAWAII CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION TO ANALYZE AND REPORT ON ANTI-ASIAN SENTIMENT AND ACTS IN THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to condemn and denounce all forms of anti—Asian sentiment and all acts of racism, xenophobia, intolerance, discrimination, hate crime, and hate speech against Asian Americans and Asian individuals in the United States.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Japanese American Citizens League – Honolulu Chapter, Aloha Aina Party, Hawai'i Friends of Civil Rights, Democratic Party of Hawaii Education Caucus, Imua Alliance, and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawai'i Civil Rights Commission.

Your Committee finds that, despite the undeniable history of persistent discrimination, Violence, and hate crimes against Asians in the United States, racism against Asians is often considered nonexistent, insignificant, or justified. Your Committee further finds that since the outbreak of coronavirus disease in 2019, anti—Asian sentiment has surged and random crimes and hate crimes against Asians skyrocketed, instigating violent attacks against individuals of not only Chinese, but also of Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, and other Asian origins. Your Committee additionally finds that the persistent discrimination, violence, and hate crimes against Asians in the United States are placing Asian individuals and their families, communities, and businesses at risk.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 66, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 66, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair