STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1019

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1240

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1240, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide the State with additional tools to help deter bribery and corruption.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Amends the offense of bribery to increase the maximum financial penalty to $250,000;

(2) Requires the Commission on Salaries to consider certain factors to retain qualified persons and to deter bribery and corruption; and

(3) Amends the effective dates of salary increases recommended by the Commission on Salaries.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Judiciary, and Department of Human Resources Development.

Your Committee finds that bribery severely harms the legislative process and breaches the public's trust in government. This measure provides salary incentives and additional prosecutorial tools, and allows judges to impose sanctions that are more severe, to help deter bribery and corruption.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that a maximum fine of $250,000 may be imposed for bribery, notwithstanding any law to the contrary, based on written comments from the Department of the Attorney General; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1240, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1240, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair