Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2292, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require fees prescribed by the Supreme Court for electronic filing, signing, serving, certification, and verification of court documents to be deposited in the Judiciary computer system special fund.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Judiciary. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the Judiciary computer system special fund was established to provide a source of revenue to enable the Judiciary to upgrade its computer system, increase filing, purchase hardware and related software, and pay for other expenses relating to new technology to improve efficiency, productivity, and accessibility of the judicial process. The fund has been used for a number of major technology advances; however, more improvements are necessary, and your Committee believes that the fees proposed in this measure will provide additional resources to the Judiciary to assist in accomplishing its upgrading goals.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2292, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.