STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1761

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 401

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

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 H.B. No. 401, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISTRICT COURT JUDGES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish one additional District Court judge position in the Third Circuit.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Hawaii Financial Services Association, Hawaii State Bar Association, Collection Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar Association, Olson and Sons, and West Hawaii Bar Association.

Your Committee finds that currently in the Kona District Court, a single judge oversees approximately sixteen thousand cases per year. Your Committee believes that the additional judge position established by this measure will help reduce caseloads, allow the court to operate more efficiently, and provide justice to litigants and victims in a more timely manner.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 H.B. No. 401, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 401, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair