REPORT TITLE:
Appropriation; DV Court


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates funds within family court to establish a pilot
dedicated domestic violence court and to provide related domestic
violence services. (SD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           598
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that domestic violence
 
 2 continues to be the greatest threat to the safety and welfare of
 
 3 families in our community.  Between 1992 and 1997, domestic
 
 4 violence homicides made up 24.3 per cent of the total number of
 
 5 homicides in Hawaii.  Further, among women who are murdered in
 
 6 Hawaii, the majority are killed as a result of a dispute
 
 7 involving someone with whom they have an intimate relationship.
 
 8 The legislature further finds that while arrests for domestic
 
 9 violence have increased over the past decade, the conviction rate
 
10 remains at about thirty percent.  Without a conviction, neither
 
11 the offender nor the victim can receive court-ordered domestic
 
12 violence intervention services which can help them break the
 
13 cycle of violence.  Thus, the purpose of this Act is to provide
 
14 additional funds to the judiciary to establish a pilot dedicated
 
15 domestic violence court and related services for victims and
 
16 their families.
 
17      SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
18 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $250,000, or so much
 
19 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 
20 same sum, or so much thereof for fiscal year 2000-2001, to
 

 
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 1 establish a pilot dedicated domestic violence court in the family
 
 2 court of the first circuit.
 
 3                                          FY1999-2000  FY2000-2001
 
 4      1.   One permanent Circuit          $86,784     $86,784
 
 5           Court Judge
 
 6      2.   Three permanent support staff  $96,264     $96,264
 
 7           Circuit Court Clerk (SR-20)
 
 8           Judicial Assistant (SR-21)
 
 9           Law Clerk (SR-20)
 
10      3.   Operating/Equipment Expenses   $66,952     $66,592
 
11      SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
12 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $250,000, or so much
 
13 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000, and the
 
14 same sum, or so much thereof for fiscal year 2000-2001, to
 
15 provide related services for domestic violence victims and their
 
16 families.
 
17      SECTION 4.  The sums appropriated shall be expended by the
 
18 judiciary for the purposes of this Act.
 
19      SECTION 5.  The judiciary shall submit a report to the
 
20 legislature, twenty days prior to the convening of the 2001
 
21 regular session, which shall include: the total number of cases
 
22 filed and closed during the pilot period; the types of cases,
 
23 including a breakdown of the number of civil and criminal
 
24 actions; the number of cases in which the offender has re-
 

 
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                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1 offended; the types of services provided to both victims and
 
 2 offenders; and the justification for continuance of the dedicated
 
 3 domestic violence court.
 
 4      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999, and
 
 5 shall be repealed on June 30, 2001.