Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 40 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women to establish and utilize the self-sufficiency standard to replace the federal poverty level standard.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the Children's Rights Council, and three individuals. The Judiciary submitted comments.

Prior to holding a public hearing on this measure, a proposed S.D. 1 was prepared and made available for public review.

The family court hears cases involving children, domestic relations, and domestic violence cases. Often, these cases involve difficult and emotional issues and in some instances, they also experience lengthy delays, which cause a backlog in the caseload. Consequently, the family court utilizes extended short-term interventions. Though no system is perfect, identifying areas of weakness and inefficiency and improving the family court system would serve to benefit those it is designed to protect. Furthermore, it is the intention of your Committees that qualified entities such as the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges or the National Center for State Courts are to be consulted to utilize their expertise in this matter.

Your Committees adopted the amendments in the proposed S.D. 1, which made the following changes to the original resolution:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 40, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 40, S.D. 1.