STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO.3504

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.C.R. No. 171

H.D. 1

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 171, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CREATION OF A TASK FORCE TO RESOLVE ISSUES RELATED TO COURT-APPOINTED COUNSEL IN HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court to convene a task force to ascertain information concerning:

(1) Why the Judiciary has been unable to recruit sufficient numbers of private counsel to accept court-appointments;

(2) Why court-appointed counsel endure unreasonably long delays before receiving payment for their services; and

(3) Whether the below-market fee rate is a contributing factor to the paucity of private attorneys willing to serve as court-appointed counsel.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Judiciary.

Your Committee passes this measure out of an abundance of concern that the criminal justice system is fair to all defendants, whether or not they can afford to hire their own counsel.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 171, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

		____________________________ BRIAN KANNO, Chair