STAND. COM. REP. NO.   1108

                                    Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                      , 1999

                                    RE: H.B. No. 1450
                                        H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
1450 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide the necessary
appropriations and authorizations for the operation of and
capital improvements for the Judiciary branch for the 1999-2001
fiscal biennium.

     The Judiciary submitted testimony in support of this bill. 

     For the most part, this measure reflects the budgetary
recommendations offered by the Judiciary.  However, in light of
the current fiscal situation, your Committee was unable to
provide all funding requested by the Judiciary.

     Your Committee would like to highlight three areas of
funding for the Judiciary:

     (1)  The Hawaii Drug Court Program;

     (2)  Family Court Judge and support staff for the Third
          Circuit; and

     (3)  Attorney and Guardian Ad Litem Fees for Family Court in
          the Second and Third Circuits.



 
                                    STAND. COM. REP. NO.   1108
                                    Page 2

 
HAWAII DRUG COURT PROGRAM

     In 1995 the Hawaii Drug Court Program was established on a
temporary basis to address the growing drug offender problem.
The Program offers a viable alternative to incarceration and
provides enhanced treatment options.

     Your Committee finds that in the four years of its
existence, the Program has proven to be an effective and cost-
efficient means of dealing with nonviolent drug offenders.  This
measure solidifies your Committee's support of this program by
converting 14 temporary positions to permanent.

FAMILY COURT JUDGE FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

     Addressing domestic violence in a timely manner is of
concern to your Committee.  The backlog of domestic violence
cases in the Third Circuit Family Court is near crises levels.
Currently, there is a 1,800 case backlog or four months of cases
waiting to be heard.  Therefore, your Committee provides a
permanent Family Court Judge and necessary staff and expenses.

ATTORNEY AND GUARDIAN AD LITEM FEES FOR FAMILY COURT IN THE
SECOND AND THIRD CIRCUITS

     State law mandates that the Courts appoint an Attorney
Guardian Ad Litem for children, and legal counsel for parents
involved in child protection cases.  Due to an increase in case
load, additional services are required for both the Second and
Third Circuits.  Accordingly, your Committee provides $161,000 in
both years of the biennium for the Second Circuit and $125,000
for both years of the biennium for the Third Circuit.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

     Your Committee provides $32,870,000 for capital improvement
projects to the Judiciary, of this amount the sum of $30,020,000
is provided for the development of the new Kauai judiciary
complex.  Other projects include the following:

     (1)  $1,350,000 is provided for the removal of architectural
          barriers in compliance with the Americans with
          Disabilities Act;
 
     (2)  $500,000 is provided for remodeling and upgrading of
          Judiciary buildings statewide; and,

     (3)  $500,000 is provided for reserve power systems for the
          Judiciary's computer systems.


 
                                    STAND. COM. REP. NO.   1108
                                    Page 3

 
     Your Committee has based this measure on the December 1998
economic projections of the State Council on Revenues (COR).
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by adjusting
the total funding for fiscal year 1999-2000 to $95,148,981 and
total funding for fiscal year 2000-2001 to $94,809,199.

     As this measure continues through the legislative process,
your Committee is committed to working closely with the Senate in
formulating an equitably balanced biennium budget based on the
COR's March 1999 revenue projections.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
1450, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1450, H.D. 1, and
be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair