STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2311

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2117

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2117 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 establish one additional district court judgeship in the District Court of the Second Circuit.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary and Maui County Bar Association.

Your Committee finds that an additional Second Circuit District Court judgeship has not been established since 1982 and that, in such time, the number of people living within the area served by the Second Circuit has more than doubled. This has resulted in significant court congestion as well as an inability to adequately provide court services, including mental health and domestic and community violence issues, throughout the three islands served by the Second Circuit. The judgeship shortage has led to significant delays in cases and reduced the attention that the existing judges can give to the matters before the court. Your Committee believes that by providing an additional judgeship, this measure will increase the efficiency and availability of court services in the Second Circuit.

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. 2117 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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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KARL RHOADS, Chair