STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3672

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2289

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2289, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EXPENDITURE CEILING ON THE AUTOMATED VICTIM INFORMATION AND NOTIFICATION SYSTEM SPECIAL FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the capacity of the Victim Notification Services Office to provide essential information for victims.

Specifically, this measure repeals the $600,000 annual ceiling on expenditures from the automated victim information and notification system special fund.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawaii, Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Crime Victim Compensation Commission, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the existing $600,000 annual expenditure ceiling for the automated victim information and notification system special fund has become outdated and limits the ability of the Victim Notification Services Office to provide victim services, improve system infrastructure, and support operational needs. Your Committee further finds that increasing the expenditure ceiling will ensure that the Victim Notification Services Office can sustain operation demands, support staff salaries, and maintain uninterrupted services statewide.

Your Committee has amended this measure by establishing an expenditure ceiling of $1,000,000 for the automated victim information and notification system special fund.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2289, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2289, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair