STAND. COM. REP. NO. 342

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 598
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No.
598 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR DOMESTIC
     VIOLENCE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the
Judiciary to establish a dedicated domestic violence court and to
provide related domestic violence services.

     Your Committee finds that the establishment of a specialized
domestic violence court will provide dedicated resources with
which to address the complex issues involved in domestic violence
cases.  Specifically, a dedicated domestic violence court will
offer encouragement to victims by improving consistency in the
issuance and enforcement of protective orders.  As a result,
advocates assisting victims of domestic violence will be better
able to educate and prepare victims regarding how the judge may
rule on various issues.  Your Committee further finds that
services offered through the court to offenders will provide an
additional avenue for rehabilitation and, thereby, reduce
recidivism.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the
Judiciary, the Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline,
the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Child and
Family Service, Hawaii Lawyers Care, and Hawaii Women Lawyers.
The Department of Health also submitted testimony in support of

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 342
                                   Page 2


the intent of this measure indicating concerns about the cost
implications of this proposal.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
measure by:

     (1)  Establishing a two-year pilot dedicated domestic
          violence court and requiring a report to the
          legislature prior to the 2001 regular session;

     (2)  Including a position count for one circuit court judge
          and support staff and an appropriation for operating
          expenses; 

     (3)  Changing the effective date to include repealing the
          pilot on June 30, 2001; and

     (4)  Making technical, non-substantive changes for the
          purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
598, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 598, S.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
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