STAND. COM. REP. NO. 217-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2078

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2078 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to the Department of the Attorney General for use in major litigation involving the State.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the State is involved in major ongoing litigation that requires the retention of expert witnesses and specialized legal counsel. Pursuant to requirements set forth in article VII, section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in Governor's Message No. 2 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration of this measure by the Legislature.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2222, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2078, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2078, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair