STAND. COM. REP. NO. 852

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 121

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 121 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, SECTION 3, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW THE SENATE MORE TIME TO CONFIRM JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is propose an amendment to Article VI, section 3, of the Hawaii State Constitution to grant the Senate sixty days to act on any judicial appointment made between April 1 and December 31 of any calendar year.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee recognizes that Article VI, section 3, of the Hawaii State Constitution currently grants the Senate thirty days to act on a judicial appointment. Your Committee finds that although this deadline may be reasonable when the Legislature is in Regular Session, judicial appointments are made throughout the calendar year, which require the Senate to incur costs for Special Sessions to conduct hearings and floor sessions on those appointments. Your Committee believes that granting the Senate an extended consideration period during certain times of the year, as proposed by this measure, is appropriate.

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. 121 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair