STAND. COM. REP. NO.  154

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 238

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 238 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WITNESSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist in securing the cooperation of witnesses by increasing the amount of the per diem stipend for out-of-state witnesses, as well as the per diem stipend for witnesses who must travel to another island when an overnight stay is required.

The Crime Victim Compensation Commission; Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu; Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, County of Kauai; and a concerned individual testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance provided comments on this bill.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 238 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair