STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2552

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2473
                                        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 S.B.
No. 2473, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SMALL BUSINESS DEFENDER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to make certain modifications to
the Small Business Defender program.

     Specifically, this bill gives the Small Business Defender
the discretion to accept or refuse cases, limits the liability of
Small Business Defender, and appropriates funds for the Small
Business Defender and other support personnel.

     Your Committee finds that the legislation establishing the
Small Business Defender, namely the Hawaii Small Business
Regulatory Flexibility Act, Act 168, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998,
has been nationally recognized as model legislation.  Strong
supporters of the Act, the small business community in Hawaii
have urged funding for the Small Business Defender position so
the program will be able to assist Hawaii small businesses and
encourage economic development.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to:


 
a                                                     SB2473 SD2
 
 
 
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2552
                                   Page 2


     (1)  Clarify that the liability of the Small Business
          Defender, any staff, and the State and counties shall
          be as provided in the State Tort Liability Act; and

     (2)  Change the amount appropriated to an unspecified amount
          to facilitate continuing discussion on this matter.

     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 S.B. No.
2473, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2473,
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

 
a                                                     SB2473 SD2