STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1656-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2106

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2106 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WITNESSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support and encourage victims and other witnesses to participate in court proceedings or pursue charges relating to criminal offenses that occur in Hawaii by increasing the per diem payments for out-of-state witnesses and the overnight supplement for inter-island witnesses who are required to stay overnight.

The County of Hawaii Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney provided testimony in support of the measure. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the per diem payments for out-of-state witnesses and the overnight supplement for inter-island witnesses who are required to stay overnight to unspecified amounts;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2106, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2106, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair