STAND. COM. REP. NO.3271
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: H.B. No. 2300
H.D. 2
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2300, H.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to amend the Judiciary Appropriations Act of 2001 (Act 1, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2001), to provide necessary funds for the operation and capital improvement costs for the Judiciary for fiscal biennium July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2003.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Hawaii State Bar Association, and an individual.
Your Committees have carefully considered and analyzed each funding adjustment requested by the Judiciary and amended the Judiciary budget accordingly. Your Committees recognize that unlike other departmental budgets the vast majority of the Judiciary budget goes toward meeting fixed and statutorily mandated expenses. Therefore, your Committees have not made any reductions from the Judiciary base budget.
In light of the current status of Hawaii’s economy, your Committees have increased the Judiciary biennium budget by $522,792 in general funds, and $1,983,523 in special funds for fiscal year 2002-2003.
For fiscal year 2002-2003, your Committees have appropriated general funds to the Judiciary in the following amounts:
(1) $138,200, for the Hawaii State Law Library System to provide patrons access to the most current legal information;
(2) $30,000, for renovations to the Waianae District Court to provide a facility that more accurately reflects the needs of the community;
(3) $68,000, for the relocation of the Adult Probation Division due to the termination of its lease;
(4) $48,000, for domestic violence intervention services to enhance treatment, education, and support to those involved in domestic violence;
(5) $200,000, for guardian ad litem and attorney fees to provide advocates for children who are victims of child abuse or neglect; and
(6) $38,592, for increased risk management costs.
Your Committees have also provided an increase of 4.5 permanent positions in the first and third Judicial circuits.
Your Committees have appropriated to the Judiciary, from the Computer System Special Fund, the following amounts:
(1) $162,054, for equipment to create a local area/wide area network at the Kaneohe district court to increase operational efficiency;
(2) $48,689, for a permanent Webmaster position to develop and maintain the Judiciary’s Internet website to keep the information on the website current and accurate, and to make the website more user friendly for public access to the courts;
(3) $472,780, to replace the outdated financial management and accounting system which is unable to comply with the latest requirements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board; and
(4) $1,300,000, to implement phase 1 of the Judiciary Information Management System which is to build a new statewide traffic case management system.
In the area of capital improvements, your Committees have appropriated $24,600,000, in fiscal year 2002-2003 for the construction of new facilities and renovations to existing ones, allocated as follows:
(1) $20,000,000, for the development of a new courthouse complex on Hilo;
(2) $3,500,000, for the development of a new structure to house the Children’s Justice Center on Oahu; and
(4) $1,100,000 for roof renovations to Kaahumanu Hale on Oahu.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2300, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2300, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,
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____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair |
____________________________ BRIAN KANNO, Chair |
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