STAND. COM. REP. NO. 644-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2352

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2352 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Exempt the administrator of the Law Enforcement Standards Board from civil service laws;

(2) Clarify membership and certain powers and duties of the Law Enforcement Standards Board; and

(3) Establish new deadlines for the completion of the Law Enforcement Standards Board responsibilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Law Enforcement; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and Policing Project at NYU School of Law.

Your Committee finds that the amendments made by this measure provide greater flexibility and stability for the Law Enforcement Standards Board to accomplish its responsibilities. Your Committee further finds that the purpose of establishing statewide law enforcement standards is to ensure that all law enforcement officers, current and prospective, meet those standards.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have provided an exemption from certification for a person who entered into employment with the applicable county police department or state department before July 1, 2026, and whose termination of employment would violate any valid collective bargaining agreement;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2352, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2352, 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