CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 140

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2007

RE:    H.B. No. 1211

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1211, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY COURT,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to increase fees for court-appointed counsel and guardians ad litem who represent the best interests of children and other persons in Family Court civil cases.  Specifically, this bill:

(1)  Increases fees for legal services to $90 per hour;

(2)  Sets fees for non-legal services at $60 per hour;

(3)  Raises the maximum allowable fees for designated Family Court proceedings; and

(4)  Appropriates funds for the payment of reasonable compensation.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the requirement for the Judiciary to submit its budget request to the Department of Budget and Finance (B&F) for the payment of reasonable compensation;

(2)  Changing the expending agency from B&F to the Judiciary;

(3)  Changing the appropriation amount from an unspecified sum to $880,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008; and

(4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2007.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1211, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1211, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair	____________________________ TOMMY WATERS, Co-Chair
____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair	____________________________ JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA, Co-Chair