STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1673

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 95
                                        




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

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and
Judiciary, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 95 entitled:

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING AN ANALYSIS OF
     IMMUNITY FROM TORT LIABILITY AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING
     SUCH PROVISIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request that the Hawai'i
State Bar Association (HSBA), with assistance from the students
and faculty of the William S. Richardson School of Law, provide
the Legislature with recommendations on a comprehensive policy on
immunity from tort liability.

     The Office of Corporation Counsel of the County of Hawaii,
the Maui County Council and the Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii
submitted testimony in support of the resolution.  The William S.
Richardson School of Law submitted comments on the measure. 

     Your Committee finds that there is a great interest in
issues of immunity such as tort liability and other forms of tort
reform.  However it is necessary to have sufficiant information
and data before any changes in tort law is made, especially where
the rights and safety of consumers may be adversely affected.

     Your Committee recognizes that the Tort Law Study Committee
(TLSC) already did a brief analysis of immunity issues.  Your
Committee believes that the most effective way to obtain needed
information is for the HSBA and TLSC study these issues with the

 
a                                                     
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1673
                                   Page 2


assistance and enthusiasm of the students of the William S.
Richardson Law School.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Judiciary that
are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the
intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 95, and recommend its adoption.

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



______________________________     ______________________________
BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair              AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



______________________________     ______________________________
BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair       MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
a