Opinion ID: 2627867
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Extrinsic Aids

Text: As previously quoted, In the event of ambiguity in a statute, the meaning of the ambiguous words may be sought by examining the context, with which the ambiguous words, phrases, and sentences may be compared, in order to ascertain their true meaning. Moreover, the courts may resort to extrinsic aids in determining legislative intent, such as legislative history, or the reason and spirit of the law. State v. Bayly, 118 Hawai`i 1, 7, 185 P.3d 186, 192 (2008) (citing Peterson v. Hawaii Elec. Light Co., Inc., 85 Hawai`i 322, 327-28, 944 P.2d 1265, 1270-71 (1997), superseded on other grounds by HRS § 269-15.5 (Supp.1999)) (internal quotation marks omitted).
The original bill that enacted HRS § 708-839.7, House Bill 2498, sought to amend chapter 708 by adding new sections regarding (1) identity theft, [11] (2) obtaining a government-issued identification document under false pretenses, and (3) deceptive use of a fictitious identity. [12] H.B. No. 2438, 21st Leg., Reg. Sess. (2002). [13] The legislature passed this act, but removed the bill's deceptive use of a fictitious identity amendment and the personal information definition for HRS Chapter 710. H.B. No. 2438, H.D. 1, 21st Leg., Reg. Sess. (2002); H.B. No. 2438, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, 21st Leg., Reg. Sess. (2002); H.B. No. 2438, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, CD. 1, 21st Leg., Reg. Sess. (2002). The Conference Committee report, written by the committee that last amended House Bill 2438, provided that [t]he purpose of this bill is to provide criminal penalties for persons: (1) Committing identity theft of another individual; and (2) Obtaining identity documents under false pretenses or using a false or fictitious identity. Hse. Conf. Comm. Rep. No. 25, in 2002 House Journal, at 1765. Importantly, the final form of the bill was intended to criminalize identity theft of another individual,  (emphasis added), indicating that the legislature intended that the identity theft statutes only relate to the transmission of another actual person's personal information. Moreover, the legislative intent to criminalize using a false or fictitious identity, appears to relate to the amendment regarding obtaining a government-issued identification document under false pretenses, inasmuch as it is juxtaposed with the purpose of prohibiting a person from [o]btaining identity documents under false pretenses or using a false or fictitious identity. [14] Furthermore, in discussing the problem of identity theft, [15] the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs and Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee and the Conference Committee took issue with transmitting any other actual person's information. The committees expressed concern that misappropriation of other people's identification information is on the rise. Hse. Stand. Comm. Rep. No. 446, in 2002 House Journal, at 1409-10; Hse. Conf. Comm. Rep. No. 25, in 2002 House Journal, at 1765 (emphasis added). Based on this specified problem and the Conference Committee's report, it follows that HRS § 708-839.7 relates to a person from transmitting an actual person's personal information, but not the information associated with a fictitious person.
Though the legislature clearly intended that HRS § 708-839.7 relate to the transmission of another actual person's information, this construction renders a portion of the HRS § 708-800 definition of personal information superfluous. See HRS § 708-800 (defining personal information as information associated with an actual person or a fictitious person ... to confirm the identity of an actual or a fictitious person). This definition is particularly relevant in constructing HRS § 708-839.7 because it was created in the same legislation as HRS § 708-839.7. [16] 2002 Haw. Sess. L. Act 224, § 1 at 894-96. In light of the personal information definition and the expressed legislative intent of Act 224, it is not entirely clear whether the identity theft statute is meant to prohibit the transmission of the information of a fictitious person.