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. 2296, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the use of debit cards in making payments, including posting bail, to the courts and allows the Judiciary to charge a convenience fee for payments made through a credit or debit card.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that each time an individual pays a court cost, fee, forfeiture, fine, expense, or other charge using a credit or debit card, the Judiciary generally must pay a service fee for the use of the credit or debit card service. Your Committee believes that the individual using the credit or debit card should pay for the service fee, and this measure allows that fee to be assessed to the individual.

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. 2296, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.