STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1253-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2390

S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 2390, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the number of associate judges on the Intermediate Court of Appeals from five to six; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Judiciary for the additional intermediate appellate court associate judge.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Hawaii State Bar Association, Appellate Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the addition of an Intermediate Court of Appeals associate judge and support staff will allow the court to resolve more appeals expeditiously and reduce its historical backlog of appeals, including appeals related to high priority matters involving termination of parental rights, child custody, and criminal cases involving defendants in custody.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 1, 2222, to encourage further discussion.

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 S.B. No. 2390, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2390, S.D. 2, 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