STAND. COM. REP. NO. 657-04
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2004
RE: H.B. No. 1980
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2004
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1980 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY COURT,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to:
(1) Open Family Court hearings to the public;
(2) Require the Supreme Court to review Family Court judges every two years; and
(3) Require Family Court judges to strictly enforce perjury statutes.
Many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The Judiciary provided comments.
Your Committee finds that many people are frustrated with Child Protective Services (CPS) and are seeking legislation that will move CPS in a positive direction. Your Committee understands Family Court's concerns, but hopes that this bill, as amended, will spark discussion and bring together interested parties, including the Family Court and the Department of Human Services, so they might work together to improve the system.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Only allowing public access to Family Court hearings initiated pursuant to the Child Protection Act;
(2) Allowing parents involved in CPS cases to bring a non-lawyer advocate to court or any other adult;
(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2345, to encourage further discussion; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.
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. 1980, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1980, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,
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____________________________ ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair |
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