STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3115

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2700

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 2700, H.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 make an appropriation for the Judiciary Supplemental Budget Appropriations Act of 2008.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Domestic Violence Action Center, Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i, Na Loio, Volunteer Legal Services Hawai‘i, and one individual.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Restoring most of the positions as originally requested in H.B. No. 2700 that were filled or for which selection is in the process;

     (2)  Restoring the funds that were originally contained in H.B. No. 2700 that were reduced by the four per cent discretionary cut taken in the House Draft 1;

     (3)  Restoring the budget of the Judicial Selection Commission;

     (4)  Restoring most of the capital improvement project requests; with the only remaining reduction being in the lump sum funding request so that the same amount will be appropriated for the 2008-2009 fiscal year as the current fiscal year;

     (5)  Adding appropriations for guardians ad litem to provide legal services for indigents: Legal Aid Society - $800,000; Na Loio - $600,000; and Volunteer Legal Services - $400,000; and

     (6)  Deleting section 3 of House Draft 1 of this measure;

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2700, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2700, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair