Abercrombie signs 15 bills into law, including prostitution bill

HONOLULU—On Monday, Gov Neil Abercrombie signed into law 15 measures, bringing the number of acts to date to 146.  These measures include:

• House Bill 953 is aimed at recruiting qualified people to serve in certain Department of Education staff positions by amending the salary cap.
• Senate Bill 1282 provides schools the option, but does not mandate, that every school administer a test that compares each Hawaii student nationally.
• Senate Bill 806 makes changes to the Hawai’i Teachers State Board allowing members to serve out their terms even if they change roles, and providing more flexibility in licensing of career and technical education teachers.
• Senate Bill 1068 makes killing or attempting to kill the pet of another person without their consent animal cruelty in the first degree.
• Senate Bill 1489 provides that attorney’s liens shall also attach to proceedings after the commencement of arbitration proceedings, and orders, settlements, and awards pursuant to an arbitration proceeding. Also, removes the deadline to file a notice of claim of the attorney’s lien.
• Senate Bill 1089 allows the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to penalize businesses that fail to give notification of 60 days before relocating or ending its operations. 
• House Bill 747 relates to liquor liability insurance by removing the definition of convenience minimarts.
• House Bill 663 requires clear and conspicuous disclosure of automatic renewal clauses and cancellation procedures for all consumer contracts and offers with an automatic renewal provision.
• House Bill 909 authorizes family court to issue financial restraining orders.
• House Bill 1333 increases the maximum monetary claim that may be filed in small claims court.
• House Bill 1613 requires an application to register to vote to include a space to request a permanent absentee ballot.
• House Bill 716 establishes new election deadlines to comply with state primary election date required by federal law (for overseas military voters).
• House Bill 1107 authorizes members of the army and air national guard who are qualified by training and authorized by their commanders to use electric guns subject to state law when assisting civil authorities in disaster relief, civil defense, or law enforcement functions
• House Bill 240 gives the Attorney General and City Prosecutor more tools to combat prostitution by providing security and protection to witnesses in cases that involve promoting prostitution. 
• House Bill 141 establishes class A and B felony offenses for labor trafficking; establishes an offense for nonpayment of wages; and establishes an offense for unlawful conduct with respect to documents.

For more information on these or all measures that have been signed into law, visit http://capitol.hawaii.gov.