STAND. COM. REP. NO.  647-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1531

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1531, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SERVICE LEGAL LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote greater access to the justice system by establishing the Public Service Legal Loan Repayment Assistance Program to assist attorneys who provide direct legal service or policy advocacy to indigent persons in repaying their legal-education loans.

The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Student Bar Association at the William S. Richardson School of Law, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that it is the intent of the Legislature to provide direct services to indigent persons.

     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. 1531, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1531, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair