STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2774

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2255

       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 S.B. No. 2255, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ACCESS TO JUSTICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Justice League, under the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law, to provide law school student loan repayment for lawyers who agree to pursue public interest work in Hawaii.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission, the Community Alliance on Prisons, and seven individuals.  The Department of Budget and Finance and the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law submitted written comments on the measure. 

     Your Committee recognizes that there is a shortage of public interest lawyers in the State.  Your Committee finds that the establishment of a program to provide law school student loan repayment for lawyers who agree to practice public interest work in Hawaii will attract more public interest lawyers, as well as increase the amount of pro bono services offered by lawyers.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will increase access to justice and assist the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission in delivering legal services to low-income residents.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the name of "Hawaii Justice League" to "Hawaii Justice League Program", and clarifying references to the "Hawaii justice league loan repayment assistance program";

(2)  Changing to an unspecified amount the percentage of a program participant's legal training costs that are eligible for repayment each year;

(3)  Changing the appropriation from $10,000,000 to an unspecified amount to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for 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. 2255, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2255, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair