STAND. COM. REP. NO.  335-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1669

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1669 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY COURT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist the Family Court of the First Circuit in meeting its exceptional caseload by appropriating funds for the hire of an additional family court judge.

The Judiciary, Office of the Public Defender, and several concerned citizens testified in support of this measure.  The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to provide additional funds for the hire of two clerks and one bailiff as support staff, bringing the total appropriation amount to $290,868.

     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. 1669, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1669, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair