Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2311, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the number of circuit court judges in the second and third circuits from three to four judges.

Your Committee finds that it has been ten years since the second judicial circuit, which is comprised of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, has had a new judgeship. Your Committee further finds that, in the last ten years, the population of Maui county has expanded by twenty per cent and, concomitantly, the number of court cases and their complexity have increased significantly. The burgeoning workload has resulted in additional overtime work for the existing judges, with a corresponding increase in the overtime cost for court staff, and an increase in the cost of per diem judges.

Your Committee notes that the third judicial circuit, which serves the entire county of Hawaii, will be home to the impending Drug Court. Your Committee finds that to help ensure the Big Island Drug Court's success, an additional full-time circuit-level judge will be needed to handle the judicial processes of the court.

Your Committee is aware that the funds for these additional judgeships are currently in the Judiciary's budget request and that this measure is needed to authorize the appointments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on this issue.

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 H.B. No. 2311, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2311, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.