STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2442

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3347

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 3347 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RIGHT TO EXIT THE SEX TRADE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish within the Department of Human Services a one-year pilot program to provide a basic monthly income of $2,000 for a period of up to one year to qualified adults who are verified victims of sex trafficking or who are female or a sexual and gender minority individual seeking to exit the sex trade.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women, Imua Alliance, Rainbow Family 808, Health Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, Hawai‘i Women’s Coalition, and eighteen individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from COYOTE RI, Libertarian Party of Hawaii, and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Budget and Finance, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is one of the toughest places to exit from the sex trade, due to its high cost of living, lack of privacy among members of close-knit communities, and the geographic isolation that hinders access to national sex trafficking service resources. Your Committee also finds that exiting the sex trade often requires addiction treatment, mental health services, housing and employment services, child care, and legal assistance, all of which are difficult to secure without stable income. This measure provides verified victims of sex trafficking the financial stability and time to secure the assistance necessary to exit the sex trade.

Your Committee notes testimony from the Department of Human Services raising concerns over limiting program participants to a specific category of individuals--victims of sex trafficking or female or sexual and gender minority individuals--which differs from providing assistance based on an individual's financial status and may raise the issue of equal protection and discrimination based on sex, including gender identity.

Your Committee also notes the testimony of multiple parties raising concerns over the language in the purpose section of this measure implying that individuals who are not categorized as female or sexual and gender minority do not require assistance to exit the sex trade.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending sections 1 and 2 to reflect its amended purpose;

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3347, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3347, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair