STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3141

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1638

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1638, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Judiciary's operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2014-2015.

Your Committee approves $334,788 in general funds requested for judges' salary increases as recommended by the Commission on Salaries and authorized by the 2013 Legislature.

Your Committee also approves $26,906 in general funds to fund the additional salary amounts for the Administrative Director and Deputy Administrative Director of the Courts.  Funding provides for salary compensation levels comparable to that of other state officials whose salaries have been systematically adjusted for pay increases and changes in the cost of living over the years.

Your Committee also approves $281,314 in general funds to upgrade the recording equipment in fourteen courtrooms at the Ronald T.Y. Moon Judiciary Complex in Kapolei.  Updating the current Jefferson Audio Video System (JAVS) hardware and software is needed to maintain operations throughout the complex and improve the quality of services for members of the public and Judiciary staff.

     Your Committee also approves two special duty officers and $147,600 in general funds for the Third Circuit.  This position authorization will provide dedicated special duty police officers at both the Kona Family Court and Kona Circuit Court to address the ongoing sheriff staffing problems at the facilities.

     Your Committee also approves $94,900 in general funds to replace the Children's Justice Center interview recording equipment state-wide.  The highest priority of the Center is to provide a familiar and neutral facility to interview child abuse victims and crime witnesses.  Thus far, the Center has interviewed over 25,000 child abuse victims, primarily victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault.  It is imperative for the Center to have reliable equipment to record these types of interviews.

Additionally, your Committee finds that investment in a critically needed judicial facility for the island of Hawaii is necessary to ensure adequate services for the island's residents.  Therefore, your Committee has appropriated $90,000,000 in general obligation bonds for the new Kona Judiciary Complex.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1638, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1638, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair