STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2766
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 2100
S.D. 2
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Twenty-Eighth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2016
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2100, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISTRICT JUDGES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the number of District Court judges in the Second Judicial Circuit from three to four judges.
The measure also appropriates $329,496 in general funds to cover the costs of the additional district court judge position and three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) positions.
Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui.
Your Committee finds that population growth and an increased caseload have made it necessary to increase the number of district court judges in the Second Judicial Circuit from three to four judges. The district court currently convenes only once per month in Hana and on Lanai, and only twice per month on Molokai, which is insufficient to handle the growing number of cases in these areas. The additional judge will help address the increased caseload in criminal and traffic filings, while permitting the courts to accommodate the needs of growing rural communities that are presently underserved.
Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting the appropriation section.
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. 2100, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2100, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair |
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