STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3376

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 2650
                                        H.D. 1
                                        S.D. 2




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B.
No. 2650, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled: 

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide supplemental
appropriations and authorizations for the operation of, and
capital improvements for, the Judiciary, for fiscal year
2000-2001, by amending the Judiciary Appropriations Act of 1999
(Act 156, Session Laws of Hawaii 1999).

     Among other things, this bill:

     (1)  Increases the position count for JUD111 - Circuit
          Courts, from 493.50 to 495.00;

     (2)  Increases the general fund appropriation for
          JUD111 - Circuit Courts, from $26,041,957 to
          $26,529,576;

     (3)  Increases the general fund appropriation for
          JUD112 - Family Courts, from $26,683,470 to
          $27,726,160;


 
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     (4)  Increases the general fund appropriation for
          JUD121 - District Courts, from $17,878,430 to
          $18,537,415;

     (5)  Increases the general fund appropriation for
          JUD201 - Administrative Director Services, from
          $15,438,872 to $16,021,487;

     (6)  Limits the maximum amount of general funds,
          appropriated for JUD201 - Administrative Director
          Services, that can be used for on-line personnel
          management, to $400,000;

     (7)  Requires $250,000 of the general fund appropriation for
          JUD112 - Family Courts, to be expended for purchase of
          services related to domestic violence intervention; and

     (8)  Authorizes and appropriates $2,000,000 in general
          obligation bond funds for the Maui Youth and Family
          Services campus support building, and prohibits funding
          for the campus support building from supplanting any
          other capital improvement project priorities.

     Your Committee would like to highlight two areas of funding
for the Judiciary:  The Maui Drug Court Program and Domestic
Violence Support Services.

     The Maui Drug Court Program was first implemented on Oahu in
1995.  Since then, it has proven to be a very effective and cost-
efficient alternative to incarceration for nonviolent drug
offenders.  To address a growing drug abuse problem on Maui, your
Committee supports the Judiciary's efforts to expand the program
to that island.  Funds have been provided to match the $90,000 in
federal funds earmarked for the program.  Additional funds have
been provided for a social worker, and $125,000 has been set
aside for substance abuse treatment services.

     Domestic violence is one of the most serious problems
affecting our community.  Your Committee finds that we must focus
on providing victims and family members the support and
intervention services necessary to break this cycle of violence.
Domestic violence advocates have espoused the need for a
dedicated domestic violence court.

     Your Committee believes that a dedicated domestic violence
court may not be feasible at this time, but agrees that
additional court services to support the increasing number of

 
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cases of domestic violence is fundamental to ensuring that
domestic violence intervention remains one of our highest
priorities.

     Therefore, $222,690 has been appropriated for fiscal year
2000-2001 for the creation of six new positions to support
existing family court judges handling domestic violence cases.
An additional $250,000 has been appropriated for fiscal year
2000-2001 for purchase of services related to domestic violence
intervention.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Decreasing the amended position count for
          JUD111 - Circuit Courts, from 495.00 to 494.50;

     (2)  Decreasing the amended general fund appropriation for
          JUD111 - Circuit Courts, from $26,529,576 to
          $26,421,970;

     (3)  Decreasing the amended general fund appropriation for
          JUD112 - Family Courts, from $27,726,160 to
          $27,576,160;

     (4)  Decreasing the amended general fund appropriation for
          JUD121 - District Courts, from $18,537,415 to
          $18,150,102;

     (5)  Decreasing the amended general fund appropriation for
          JUD201 - Administrative Director Services, from
          $16,021,487 to $15,693,872;

     (6)  Decreasing the maximum amount of general funds,
          appropriated for JUD201 - Administrative Director
          Services, that can be used for on-line personnel
          management, from $400,000 to $200,000;

     (7)  Allowing less than $250,000 of the general fund
          appropriation for JUD112 - Family Courts, to be
          expended for purchase of services related to domestic
          violence intervention;

     (8)  Requires $250,000 of the general fund appropriation for
          JUD112 - Family Courts, to be expended for the
          appointment of guardians ad litem and counsel for
          indigent parties;


 
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     (9)  Deleting the authorization and appropriation for the
          Maui Youth and Family Services campus support building;

    (10)  Lapsing $200,000 in unallotted, unencumbered, and
          unrequired general obligation bond funds for the Family
          Court Center and Juvenile Detention Facility in
          Kapolei, Oahu; and

    (11)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of
          clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2650, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it
pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2650,
H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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