Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3233, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the parties or the court to make parenting plan amendments. The measure also permits the parties to make revisions that are consistent with or allowed by the provisions of an existing custody order without court approval, although court approval is required for any other changes. Additionally, the measure requires the parties to file the revised parenting plan with the family court.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Children's Rights Council and one individual. The Judiciary submitted comments regarding this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure to incorporate amendments proposed by the Judiciary and a member of the Hawaii Children's Rights Council by deleting the ability of the court to make amendments or revisions, because the court may revise and amend the parenting plan at any time during the minority of a child without a showing of a change in circumstances of either party or any child of the parties, and make other clarifying amendments. Your Committee also added the parties' right to revise or amend existing parenting plans by agreement if the changes are in accordance with an existing parenting plan or decree.

Your Committee also has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

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. 3233, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3233, S.D. 2.