STAND. COM. REP. NO. 982

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1527

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. 1527, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure the safety of victims of domestic abuse, sexual offenses, or stalking.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Replaces the Office of the Lieutenant Governor with the Department of Law Enforcement as the governmental entity responsible for administering the Address Confidentiality Program for victims of domestic abuse, sexual offenses, or stalking, beginning January 1, 2024;

(2) Establishes the Address Confidentiality Program Governance Committee within the Department of Law Enforcement; and

(3) Appropriates unspecified funds for operating costs, equipment, and an unspecified number of full-time equivalent positions to support the Department of Law Enforcement in administering the Address Confidentiality Program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement.

Your Committee finds that the open and accessible nature of the Lieutenant Governor's office and State Capitol building creates safety concerns, and it would thus be more appropriate to house the Address Confidentiality Program within the Department of Law Enforcement, where offenders would be deterred from visiting.

Your Committee notes the written comments of the Department of Law Enforcement indicating that an appropriation of $280,000, including funding for two full-time equivalent positions, should be sufficient for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting Section 1 of the measure, which would have established an Address Confidentiality Program Governance Committee within the Department of Law Enforcement;

(2) Allowing the Department of Law Enforcement to contract with a third party for program services involving mail forwarding and acceptance of service of legal process;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 1527, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1527, 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