STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1133-26

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2026

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1960

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

 

Madame:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1960, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require:

 

     (1)  The Department of the Attorney General to develop a human trafficking awareness training program for workers in the transient accommodations sector; and

 

     (2)  Transient accommodations employers and thirdparty contractors to provide the human trafficking awareness training and establish human trafficking prevention policies.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Imua Alliance; and eight individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that human trafficking is a deeply harmful form of exploitation that disproportionately impacts the State's most vulnerable populations, including Native Hawaiians.  Your Committee further finds that victims of human trafficking are often hidden in plain sight and that the transient accommodation sector can be a critical point of identification of these victims.  This measure ensures that employees in the transient accommodation sector have the training necessary to help identify human trafficking.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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. 1960, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1960, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair