STAND. COM. REP. NO.  825-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2163

      H.D. 2

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. 2163, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PARENTAL PARITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that the court, when awarding child custody, also consider frequent, continuing, and meaningful contact with each parent unless one or both parents are unable to act in that child's best interest.

Several concerned individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  A concerned individual testified in opposition to this measure.  The Family Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association and two concerned individuals provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the purpose section; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 2163, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2163, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair