Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 384, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to assist the Judiciary in attracting competent counsel to represent indigent criminal defendants by increasing compensation for court-appointed counsel.

The Judiciary, Department of the Attorney General, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Maui, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Kauai, Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for the County of Hawaii, Office of the Public Defender, Hawaii State Bar Association, Hawaii Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and numerous individuals testified in support of this bill. The Department of Budget and Finance submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 384, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 384, H.D. 2.