STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2643

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2082

       S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2082 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the schedule of fees established in section 501-218(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, is not intended to be a comprehensive schedule of all fees payable under chapter 501, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to Land Court registration.

     Specifically, the measure authorizes the Supreme Court of Hawaii, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Department of Accounting and General Services to revise, amend, add to, or eliminate fees payable under the schedule.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and the Judiciary.

     Your Committee finds that section 501-218, Hawaii Revised Statutes, currently authorizes the Supreme Court of Hawaii to amend or add to the schedule of fees in that section but does not specify how the amendments shall be made.  Your Committee believes that this measure clarifies that the Supreme Court of Hawaii, by rule of the court, may revise, amend, add to, eliminate, or prescribe any additional fees under the schedule.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the provision authorizing the Department of Land and Natural Resources to revise, add to, or eliminate fees payable under the schedule;

     (2)  Deleting the provision authorizing the Department of Accounting and General Services to revise, amend, add to, or eliminate fees payable under the schedule;

     (3)  Deleting portions of the purpose section that refer to the Departments of Land and Natural Resources and Accounting and General Services to reflect the amended purpose of the measure;

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (5)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.B. No. 2082, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2082, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair