STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2724

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2810

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2810 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SERVICE BY PUBLICATION IN PATERNITY CASES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the Uniform Parentage Act to allow the court to authorize service by publication if the defendant in a paternity case cannot be located or personally served.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that existing law specifies service by registered or certified mail in paternity cases when the defendant is not found within the circuit.  This measure codifies the Family Court's practice of allowing service by publication in paternity cases and makes service in these cases consistent with service in other Family Court proceedings.  Your Committee encourages discussion regarding constructive service through electronic means, including social media, as this measure moves through the legislative process.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2810, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2810, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair