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. 2294 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the administrative costs imposed for processing of traffic cases and provides that additional moneys collected will be deposited into the Judiciary computer systems 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 systems special fund was established to provide a source of revenue to enable the Judiciary to upgrade its computer system. The fund has been used for a number of major technology advances; however, more improvements are necessary.

Your Committee finds that this measure, which will permit the Judiciary to retain one-half of the fees collected for administrative costs for processing traffic citations, will help to defray the costs of the continued upgrade of the Judiciary's computer system.

Your Committee also notes that last year, the Legislature passed a similar measure that directed existing fees charged for administrative costs imposed in traffic cases be deposited in the Judiciary computer system special fund. However, the measure was vetoed by the Governor because the money, normally deposited into the general fund, would now be deposited into the special fund, negatively impacting the State's limited resources.

However, your Committee notes that unlike the vetoed measure, this measure will not adversely affect the general fund because only the increased fees generated by this measure will be deposited into the special fund.

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. 2294, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.