CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 32-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2008

RE:    S.B. No. 2785

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2785, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISTRICT COURT JURISDICTION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the maximum amount in controversy over which the District Court shall have jurisdiction in civil actions from $20,000 to $30,000.

     The current limit for claims in the District Courts was established by the Legislature in 1994.  An increase in the jurisdictional limit of the District Courts would take into account the effect of inflation over the years.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the limit to $25,000; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to upon approval.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2785, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2785, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ BLAKE K. OSHIRO, Co-Chair	____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair
____________________________ MARILYN B. LEE, Co-Chair