STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2867

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2390

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2390, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding to the Judiciary for one additional Intermediate Court of Appeals associate judge position and for additional support staff positions.

Your Committee received written comments 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 written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that this measure's provision of funding for an additional associate judge and support staff for the additional judge will allow the Intermediate Court of Appeals to resolve a greater number of appeals within a shorter time frame and significantly assist the court's efforts to reduce its backlog of appeals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing all appropriation amounts to unspecified amounts; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2390, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2390, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair