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 S.B. No. 2765, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide for a more streamlined and convenient process for registering divorces and annulments occurring in the State.

Your Committee received testimony in favor of this measure from the Lieutenant Governor and Department of Health, and comments from the Administrative Director of the Courts.

Your Committee finds that the burden on the Department of Health to register divorces and annulments is excessive and renders the Department less efficient in its overall duties. In addition, the process duplicates documents kept by the Judiciary.

Your Committee has amended this measure by repealing section 338-29, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in its entirety, rather than amending it, based on the Department's change in reasoning. The Department prefers to altogether cease the registration of divorces and annulments, but will continue to register divorces and annulments that are granted up through December 31, 2002, by the Family Court. Accordingly, this measure has been amended to reflect the appropriate effective date.

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 S.B. No. 2765, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2765, S.D. 2.