Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1000 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide the necessary appropriations and authorizations for the operation of and capital improvements for the Judiciary for fiscal biennium 2001-2003.

The Judiciary submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee carefully reviewed and analyzed the funding adjustments requested by the Judiciary and amended the Judiciary budget accordingly.

Your Committee has increased the Judiciary budget by $6,800,000 in general funds for fiscal year 2001-2002, but reduced it by $182,993 for fiscal year 2002-2003. Most of this growth is attributable to $5,100,000 for collective bargaining costs previously authorized by Act 60, Session Laws of Hawaii 1999. The true growth for enhanced programs and services is approximately $1,700,000 for fiscal year 2001-2002, and then a reduction of $182,993 for fiscal year 2002-2003.

Two critical areas of importance to your Committee are:

To address the growing substance abuse problem on the neighbor islands, your Committee supported the Judiciary's efforts to expand drug court programs in Hilo, Kona, and Kauai, by appropriating $242,065 for fiscal year 2001-2002 and $347,371 for fiscal year 2002-2003. The drug court targets nonviolent youth offenders and offers them drug rehabilitation instead of incarceration. Additional funds have also been appropriated for the existing Oahu and Maui drug courts.

Overcrowding in our prisons is a serious problem that must be addressed. Your Committee supports probation as an alternative to incarceration. To address the increasing probation population, more probation officers are needed. Therefore, your Committee supports the Judiciary's efforts to provide an additional $697,774 for fiscal year 2001-2002 and $703,723 for fiscal year 2002-2003 to provide additional positions for the Judiciary's probation office. Your Committee also supports additional funding of $161,912 for fiscal year 2001-2002 and $138,832 for fiscal year 2002-2003 to provide additional support to the Hilo and Kona Family Probation Office. Overall, the Judiciary will provide more alternatives to incarceration to relieve overcrowding in our prisons.

Among other things, this bill provides additional resources to improve the operations of the Judiciary over the fiscal biennium by appropriating:

1. $628,730 for the new Kaneohe Court House;
2. $211,980 for the Ho'okele Navigation Project to assist court users with information and direction; and
3. $250,381 for additional security for the Ewa, Waianae, and Wahiawa district courthouses.

In the area of capital improvements, your Committee provided $21,027,000 in general obligation bonds for fiscal biennium 2001-2003. Some of the projects include:

1. $14,700,000 to develop new Judiciary facilities on Kauai, Hawaii, and in Kaneohe, Oahu;
2. $1,000,000 to remodel and upgrade Judiciary facilities throughout the State;
3. $675,000 to improve the interior of the first floor of the Kapuaiwa Building, Oahu; and
4. $449,000 to make various improvements to Judiciary facilities to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Your Committee recognizes the important role and responsibility of the Judiciary in providing services for the citizens of Hawaii. Therefore, your Committee has submitted a biennium budget proposal that, while cognizant of the State's limited general fund resources, provides additional resources to help the Judiciary meet the needs of all constituents.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1000, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1000, H.D. 1.