STAND. COM. REP. NO. 796

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 985

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. 985 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT FRAUD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the class C felony offense of government fraud.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Campaign Spending Commission, Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct, Honolulu Police Department, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that existing laws grade theft offenses based on specific monetary thresholds. By establishing the crime of government fraud as a class C felony offense, regardless of the amount stolen, this measure fills a vital gap in the State's criminal enforcement provisions, strengthens the State's public corruption laws, deters individuals from committing fraudulent schemes against the government, and punishes individuals that commit such fraudulent schemes.

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. 985 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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