Opinion ID: 1407256
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Prosecution For Theft Instead Of Welfare Fraud

Text: Defendant argues at length that the State should have prosecuted her under HRS § 346-34, dealing specifically with welfare fraud, rather than under the more general theft statute, HRS § 708-831(1)(b), since both involve similar elements of proof. Relying on State v. Modica, 58 Haw. 249, 567 P.2d 420 (1977), she contends her prosecution under a general statute rather than a specific statute proscribing similar conduct violated her constitutional rights to due process and equal protection. The foregoing arguments were recently considered and rejected by this court in State v. Kuuku, 61 Haw. 79, 595 P.2d 291 (1979). Defendant further asserts that even if the statutes require different elements of proof, the legislature intended prosecution of all welfare fraud cases to proceed under HRS § 346-34. In Kuuku, this court examined the legislative history of the theft statute and found no intent to bar prosecution of welfare fraud cases under that statute. However, defendant now argues that the legislative history of the welfare fraud statute indicates such an intent. Having examined the histories of both statutes, we reiterate our conclusion that there is no legislative intent to limit prosecutions for welfare fraud to HRS § 346-34.