STAND. COM. REP. NO. 126-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1953

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. 1953 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PENAL CODE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Judicial Council to conduct a comprehensive review of the Hawaii Penal Code and recommend necessary amendments.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and Community Alliance on Prisons. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that a comprehensive review of the Hawaii Penal Code has been conducted every decade since the Code's enactment in 1972, with the last review conducted in 2015. Your Committee believes that it is time for another review of the Hawaii Penal Code to ensure its continued force and effectiveness.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(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.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $25,000.

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. 1953, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1953, 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