STAND. COM. REP. NO. 840

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 144

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 144, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JURY TRIAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the threshold value in controversy requirement for a jury trial in a civil case from $5,000 to $10,000.  

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from one individual

     Your Committee finds that the statutory threshold value in controversy required for a jury trial in a civil case has been $5,000 for over twenty-five years.  Since this limit was adopted, the value of the dollar has risen due to inflation, and as a result, more cases in Hawaii's court system have been able to demand jury trials.  Jury trials require more of the Judiciary's time and resources than non-jury trials.  Your Committee believes that raising the threshold value in controversy required for a jury trial in a civil case will result in lower expenditures by the Judiciary to resolve these matters and a more efficient state court system.

     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. 144, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair