STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1022

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1158

       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 Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1158, 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 create a citizen's family law advisory committee to be placed, for administrative purposes, in the Judiciary.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the bill from a representative of the National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii.  Testimony from the Judiciary opposed the bill.  Legal Aid Society of Hawaii provided comments and offered amendments to the bill.

     Your Committee finds that this bill would create an ongoing process by which Judiciary personnel, Family Court professionals, related service providers, and the public can participate in and provide feedback about the Family Court and family law matters.

     Your Committee amended the bill to allow for more effective and efficient input by the advisory committee.  The amendments would allow input into administrative proceedings and into improving access to Family Court.  It would also allow the advisory committee to hold hearings.

     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 S.B. No. 1158, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1158, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair