House committee advances elder-protection, child-welfare and disability-rights bills; multiple measures pass out of committee

The House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness met Feb. 11, 2025, in Conference Room 329 at the State Capitol and voted to pass multiple measures out of committee with amendments or defective dates, including bills addressing crimes against elders, protections for survivors of exploitation, supported-decision-making agreements, and changes to offender-registration and child welfare reporting.

The committee's action responds to a day of testimony from public defenders, advocacy groups, law-enforcement representatives and affected residents. William Bento of the Office of the Public Defender opposed HB 963, relating to crimes against elders, saying, “We do oppose the bill. We oppose the the language and the purpose of it.” Supporters including AARP Hawaii and testimony from residents urged stricter liability, with one witness, Sandy Wong, describing a personal assault and arguing strict liability would deter attackers: “I was assaulted by a kid... I am a kupuna, and so I should get that added protection.” The chair moved to pass HB 963 with a defective date and that recommendation was adopted.

Committee members also advanced HB 384, which raises penalties for promoting minor-produced sexual images when the defendant is more than three years older than the minor. The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney described a pattern of sextortion and said the change is aimed at adults who prey on minors, while Mr. Bento reiterated concerns about overly broad language producing “absurd results.” The committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass HB 384 with amendments.

On disability and guardianship issues, the committee voted to pass HB 320 to create a statutory framework for supported decision-making (SDM) agreements. Julia Althoff of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities said SDM “will ensure that people with disabilities retain autonomy while also getting the necessary support.” The chair accepted several amendments recommended by the Attorney General and others, including language protecting medical and educational records (HIPAA and FERPA) and prequalifying supporters who provide paid services or have certain convictions, and the committee passed the bill with amendments.

Domestic-violence advocates and prosecutors debated HB 383, which reinstates mandatory minimum jail sentences for repeated violations of protection orders and removes the distinction between domestic and nondomestic violations. Angie Mercado of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence urged stronger enforcement of protective orders; the Office of the Public Defender warned the measure could remove judicial incentives to connect respondents with treatment. The committee adopted amendments reflecting testimony and voted to pass the measure.

The committee also passed HB 689 (safe-harbor protections for survivors of sexual exploitation), HB 359 (amending offender-registration rules to include certain professionals convicted of sexual offenses against minors), HB 703 (extending the rent supplement program for kupuna), HB 1100 (changing a pilot-program name and extending related timeframes), HB 1283 (exemption from mediation/paternity proceedings where domestic abuse alleged), HB 640 (requiring the ombudsman to report on child-welfare complaints and clarifying notification requirements), and HB 549 (an early-learning apprenticeship grant program). Testimony ranged from law-enforcement support for victim-centered policies (Captain Picarro, Honolulu Police Department) to advocates emphasizing system impacts (Robin Matsunaga, State Ombudsman) and program administrators noting funding or timing questions (Leah Diaz, Department of Human Services; Christina Valenzuela, Executive Office on Aging; Iko Ariko Acro, Executive Office on Early Learning).

Votes at a glance

- HB 963 (crimes against elders): Chair recommended pass with amendments → adopted (committee recorded aye votes; chair’s recommendation adopted). - HB 384 (obscenity/minor-produced images): Chair recommended pass with amendments → adopted. - HB 1100 (rename pilot program / low-vision): Chair recommended pass with amendments → adopted; committee noted potential need for appropriation and extended sunset to 06/30/2029. - HB 1283 (mediation/paternity exemption where domestic abuse alleged): Chair recommended pass with amendments → adopted. - HB 689 (safe-harbor for exploitation survivors): Chair recommended pass with amendments → adopted. - HB 383 (mandatory minima for repeated protection-order violations): Chair recommended pass with amendments → adopted. - HB 320 (supported decision making): Chair recommended pass with amendments (AG and Council suggestions adopted, including privacy and disqualification provisions) → adopted. - HB 359 (covered-offender registration updates): Chair recommended pass with amendments (AG suggested tiering and in-person reporting timing) → adopted. - HB 703 (kupuna rent supplement sunset extension): Chair recommended pass with amendments → adopted. - HB 640 (child-welfare ombudsman reporting / notifications): Chair recommended pass with amendments (reporting annual; broadened notification recipients) → adopted. - HB 549 (early-learning apprenticeship grants): Chair recommended pass with technical amendments → adopted.

What the committee did not do: The committee did not enact final floor passage; most measures were passed out of committee with amendments or defective dates and will proceed to subsequent legislative steps. Several presenters urged narrower drafting on criminal measures (Office of the Public Defender) and emphasized survivor-centered or least-restrictive approaches (disability and domestic-violence advocates). The committee accepted multiple amendments suggested by the Attorney General’s office, the Department of Health and other stakeholders and deferred final funding or implementation details where departments noted those questions.

The committee adjourned after the decision-making session; the recorded roll call for the chair’s recommendations repeatedly showed the chair and vice chair voting with members and the chair’s recommendation being adopted on each item.