STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2880

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2740

S.D. 1

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. 2740 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GUARDIANS AD LITEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the Judiciary to compensate guardians ad litem for involuntary hospitalization and assisted community treatment petitions at a rate higher than provided for in existing statutory guidelines.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Institute for Human Services, and three individuals.

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

Your Committee finds that guardians ad litem have an important role in supporting vulnerable persons during judicial proceedings. Allowing the Judiciary to compensate guardians ad litem at a higher rate will help the courts secure more representatives for persons being considered for involuntary hospitalization or assisted community treatment.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount to an unspecified sum; 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. 2740, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2740, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair