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4°JM<.4 Of N��1 COUNTY OF HAWAII -_ STATE OF HAWAII ,Tt Gf •N'i RESOLUTION NO. 69 ij A RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS SENATE BILL NO. 574 AND HOUSE BILL NO. 1166 TO HELP VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE. WHEREAS, Section 709-906 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes provides in part that abuse of a family or household member has occurred if a person intentionally or knowingly impedes the normal breathing or circulation of blood by applying pressure to the throat or neck of the victim; and WHEREAS, applying pressure to the mouth and nose similarly impedes normal breathing and blood circulation, and as such, should be added to Section 709-906; and WHEREAS, multiple victims of domestic abuse have suffered and ultimately died due to forceful pressure that was intentionally or knowingly applied to their mouth and/or nose; and and WHEREAS, Section 709-906 provides that such an act be pursued as a Class C felony; WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 574 and House Bill No. 1166 helps to make the law consistent with the crimes of strangulation and suffocation of a family or household member by adding mouth and nose to the list of body parts contained in Section 709-906, Hawaii Revised Statutes; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the Hawaii State Senate is urged to pass Senate Bill No. 574 and House No. 1166 to help victims of domestic abuse.