REQUESTING THE JUDICIARY TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF INCREASING THE LEVEL OF THE OFFENSE OF HARASSMENT BY STALKING FROM A MISDEMEANOR TO A CLASS C FELONY.

This House Resolution (HR 52) requests the Hawaii Judiciary to study whether upgrading "harassment by stalking" from a misdemeanor to a Class C felony would improve outcomes. It asks the Judiciary to assess impacts on victim safety, resource allocation, and deterrence, particularly in domestic violence contexts, and to report findings by December 2025. The resolution does not change the law but seeks an evaluation to inform future legislative action. It directly affects how stalking cases might be classified and handled if the Judiciary recommends such a change.