Report Title:

Witness Fees; Criminal Cases

Description:

Increases witness fees, mileage fees, and per diem payments for witnesses for criminal cases.  (HB 379 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	379
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to witnesses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 621-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Every witness legally required to attend a state court or grand jury in any criminal case, other than a public officer or employee, shall be entitled to [$20] $55 for each day's attendance and a reasonable mileage fee to be established pursuant to rules adopted by the judiciary for each mile actually and necessarily traveled on the ground each way, including travel to and from the nearest airport when required to travel from another island or from outside the [State.] state.  In addition to witness' fees, every witness[,] who attends a state court from outside the [State] state shall be entitled to the actual round-trip cost of plane travel, plus [$110 per twenty-four-hour day,] $160 for each day's attendance. [or if] If from any island other than that on which the court holds session, the witness shall be entitled to the actual round-trip cost of plane travel[,]; plus $55 [per twenty-four-hour day,] for each day's attendance, except that when the witness is required to stay overnight, the witness shall be entitled to the actual round-trip cost of plane travel, plus $160 for each day's attendance, which amounts shall cover all personal expenses, such as board and lodging.  [These per diem payments shall be computed on the basis of quarter day periods of time.]"

     SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2050.