STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1588

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1212

       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. 1212, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the operating and capital improvement costs of the Judiciary for the fiscal biennium from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2009.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary, the Maui County Library Association, three public librarians from central Maui, the Salvation Army, Isis Hawaii, and four individuals in support of the Girls Court program.  The Department of Accounting and General Services submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee provided an additional $12,125,775 in general funds and $812,955 in special funds for fiscal year 2007-2008, and an additional $11,297,399 in general funds and $218,017 in special funds for fiscal year 2008-2009, increasing the Judiciary's total budget for fiscal years 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 to $148,469,888 and $147,046,574, respectively.

     Your Committee recognizes that the Judiciary is experiencing an increase in demand for its services, and as a result, available resources have dwindled.  Your Committee addressed this situation by providing funding that improves the efficiency and productivity of existing programs and services and provided additional staffing and funding to ensure that the Judiciary is able to maintain the level of service as demand rises.  Your Committee provided:

     (1)  $2,817,743 in general funds and special funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and $978,529 in general funds and special funds for fiscal year 2008-2009 for technology related items;

     (2)  Eight new positions for judges for fiscal year 2007-2008;

     (3)  Forty-two and fifty-one new support staff positions (social workers, etc.) for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009, respectively; and

     (4)  $1,524,439 and $1,414,372 in general funds and special funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009, respectively, for the Hilo Courthouse.

     Your Committee also supports the Judiciary's efforts to improve access to its services and better meet the needs of Hawaii's underserved populations.  In this regard, your Committee provided the following:

     (1)  $268,198 in additional general funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009 for domestic violence services;

     (2)  $25,000 for the Hawaii Family Law Clinic;

     (3)  $1,050,000 in general funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009 for indigent legal services for individuals and families;

     (4)  $200,000 in general funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009 for intrafamilial sex abuse treatment services for child victims;

     (5)  $407,252 and $440,006 in general and special funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009, respectively, for Girls Court;

     (6)  $70,816 in general and special funds and $84,288 in general funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009, respectively, for the Children's Justice Center; and

     (7)  $100,000 in general funds for fiscal year 2007-2008 and fiscal year 2008-2009 for the Office of Equality and Access to the Courts increased interpreter fees.

     In addition to the resources provided for the Judiciary's operating requirements, your Committee appropriated $1,500,000 in general obligation bonds for each fiscal year for various renovations, repairs, and improvements to Judiciary facilities statewide.  This measure also appropriates a placeholder amount for the Kapolei Judiciary Complex to enable your Committee to continue discussions with the Judiciary and the House of Representatives regarding the Judiciary's request for additional funds.

     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. 1212, 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. 1212, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair