STAND. COM. REP. NO. 938-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1968

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1968, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the time period by which a civil action for childhood sexual abuse may be initiated; and

(2) Allow a court to order the personnel of a legal entity against whom a claim is brought to undergo training on trauma-informed response to allegations of sexual abuse.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; RAINN; The Sex Abuse Treatment Center; Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Imua Alliance; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Insurers Council. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Rainbow Family 808; Hawaii Association for Justice; and one individual.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1968, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1968, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair