STAND. COM. REP. NO. 173

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 897
                                        




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.
897 entitled: 

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide the Judiciary with
the resources to implement the Ho'okele Court Navigation Project,
a program to guide court users through the court system -- both
physically and procedurally.

     Your Committee finds that there is a strong need for a court
navigation program for the thousands of people who enter Hawaii's
courthouses each day.  Many court users are unable to clearly
articulate their need for services with regard to the court
system.  In addition, your Committee further finds that there is
a growing number of pro se litigants who are bewildered by legal
terminology, the dozens of court forms, and the maze of
procedures.  Your Committee believes that a Court Concierge Desk
at the entrance of the courthouse will provide necessary
information and assistance to make the court system a more user-
friendly place.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by The
Judiciary, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Hawaii Lawyers Care, Na
Loio Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center, Kapiolani
Community College Legal Education Department, and the Hawaii
Justice Foundation.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 173
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     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.
897 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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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