STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1571

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1211

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1211, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure 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, the measure:

(1)  Increases fees for legal services from $40 to $90 per hour;

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

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

The Family Court of the First Circuit of the Judiciary submitted comments in support of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that guardians ad litem play a critical role during child protective proceedings and that legal counsel provide valuable services for indigent parents who are at risk of losing their child or children.  This measure will help attract and retain guardians ad litem and attorneys who do complex and difficult work on behalf of families.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Inserting language that requires the Judiciary to submit fee-related information to the Department of Budget and Finance for the Department to process fees;

(2)  Adding an unspecified appropriation to be expended by the Department of Budget and Finance; and

(3)  Changing the effective date of the measure to July 1, 2008, to allow time for the respective agencies to prepare for implementation of the new fees.

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair