STAND. COM. REP. NO. 665-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2362
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 2362 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANNULMENT, DIVORCE, AND
     SEPARATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to authorize the courts to order
service of complaints for annulment, divorce, or separation by
registered or certified mail where plaintiffs have attested to
impoverishment.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawai`i Women Lawyers,
Volunteer Legal Services Hawai`i, and many concerned individuals.
Testimony was also received from the Judiciary.

     Your Committee finds that the provisions of this bill will
assist those with low incomes to change marital status.

     Your Committee has amended this bill to clarify that the
courts are mandated to order that service be made by mail where
plaintiffs have attested to impoverishment.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 665-00
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 2362, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No.
2362, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary &
                                   Hawaiian Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair