STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1453

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 48

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.R. No. 48 entitled:

"SENATE 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,"

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 Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission, Imua Alliance, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Education Caucus, and four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

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 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) Inserting language describing recent anti-Asian sentiment and acts;

(2) Requesting the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to collect and analyze incidents based on anti-Asian sentiment that have occurred in Hawaii since March, 2020, and submit a report of findings and recommendations to the Legislature;

(3) Providing for a certified copy to be sent to the Executive Director of the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission;

(4) Making conforming amendments to the title; and

(5) 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 48, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 48, S.D. 1.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair