Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1130 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the courts to accept debit cards as a form of payment for certain obligations owing to the courts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that debit cards are becoming a commonly used method of payment. Moreover, financial institutions are encouraging their customers to switch from paper checks to debit cards to draw from checking accounts. Your Committee notes that court staff have encountered members of the public who were willing but unable to make payments owing to the court because the courts were not authorized to accept debit card payments. Your Committee believes that allowing courts to accept debit card payments will enable the courts to better serve the public.

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 S.B. No. 1130 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.