STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2367

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2149

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2149 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISTRICT COURT 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 Circuit from three to four.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary and Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Maui.

Your Committee finds that the demands on the Second Judicial Circuit have increased significantly in the thirty-six years since a District Court Judge was last legislatively authorized in that circuit. Due to a lack of judges, the District Court convenes in Hana and Lanai only once every month, and on Molokai only three times every month. These calendars are insufficient to keep up with the growing numbers of cases being filed in rural areas and off-Maui island courts. This measure will increase the number of District Court Judges to meet these increased needs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2035, 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. 2149, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2149, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair