STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1186-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2758

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2758, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEX TRAFFICKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize civil claims to be made against a business, an owner of a business, or an operator of a business that profits from sexual exploitation or sex trafficking.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Rainbow Family 808; Imua Alliance; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that this measure will provide victims of sexual exploitation or sex trafficking with an avenue for recourse and hold businesses that profit from sex trafficking accountable.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the statute of limitations to:

(A) Require that a claim be brought within ten years after an act of coercion into sexual exploitation or an act of sex trafficking; and

(B) Maintain the existing tolling provisions that were set to be repealed;

(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 S.B. No. 2758, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2758, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair