STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2394

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2715

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 S.B. No. 2715 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COURT-APPOINTED COUNSEL AND GUARDIANS AD LITEM IN FAMILY COURT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to clarify the compensation rates for court-appointed attorneys and guardians ad litem in Family Court.

     Specifically, this measure replaces the terms "legal services" and "non-legal services" with "in court services" and "out-of-court services".  This measure also stipulates that only an attorney licensed to practice in Hawaii may receive the $90 an hour compensation for in court services and $60 an hour compensation for out-of-court services by an attorney licensed to practice in Hawaii and all services provided by a person who is not an attorney licensed to practice in Hawaii whether performed in court or out-of-court.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary.

     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. 2715 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair