STAND. COM. REP. NO. 810

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 593

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 593 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POLICE REPORTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow surviving immediate family members of deceased persons for whom law enforcement initiated an investigation to receive a copy of the closing report prepared by the investigating police department after a specified period of time.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that when a family member dies in an incident that leads to a law enforcement investigation, the surviving family members may continue to have questions long after law enforcement closes their investigation. Your Committee further finds that it can often take several years for surviving family members to obtain a copy of the closing report prepared by the law enforcement agency at the conclusion of their investigation. This measure is intended to ensure surviving family members receive the closing report of a law enforcement investigation into a family member's death within a specific period of time.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting a sunset date of June 30, 2025.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 593, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 593, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair