Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 998, H.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify provisions in various sections of chapter 501, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to facilitate the Land Court recording process.

Your Committee received written testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that certain inefficiencies and non-conforming provisions in the law relating to land court recordation have been identified. This measure improves efficiency by authorizing discreet nonsubstantive alterations to certificates of title that are presented to the Land Court.

This measure also amends sections 501-171 and 501-173, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to speed up the probate process by authorizing the State of Hawaii to issue certificates of authority certifying the power of a foreign personal representative to distribute the estate of a decedent. Finally, this measure conforms the size of documents to the size requirements provided in the Rules of the Land Court and section 502-31, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Your Committee supports the amendments contained in this measure.

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 H.B. No. 998, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.