STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1657

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 723

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 723, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIFORM PARENTAGE ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Judiciary to post the titles of all court filings and the minutes of court proceedings in paternity cases on its website; and

(2) Establish the same confidentiality standards for paternity cases as other cases heard by the family court.

The O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i and Farrell & Associates, LLC testified in support of this measure. The Judiciary and an individual submitted comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Allowing the court to close a proceeding and records to the public, except for the titles of all court filings and the contents of a final order, on request of a party and for good cause;

(2) Specifying that the confidentiality standards shall be the same as other cases heard by the family court for paternity cases filed on and after the effective date of this measure;

(3) Changing its effective date to January 28, 2081; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 723, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 723, 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,

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair