STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1288

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   S.B. No. 276

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 276, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JUDGES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Increase the number of judges of the District Court of the Second Circuit from three to four judges; and

     (2)  Make housekeeping amendments to laws relating to the composition of judges of the circuit courts, district courts, and family courts.  

The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui, Maui County Bar Association, and an individual supported this measure.  The Judiciary opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may establish in each of the judicial circuits of the State a district family court; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     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 S.B. No. 276, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 276, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair