CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 147-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    H.B. No. 1638

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1638, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The conference draft of the Judiciary supplemental budget adjusts the Judiciary's appropriation for fiscal year 2014-2015 by adding $2,568,954 in general funds.  The Judiciary's request was to add $4,785,804 in general funds.

Your Committee on Conference approves $334,788 in general funds requested for judges' salary increases, as recommended by the Commission on Salaries and authorized by the 2013 Legislature.

     Your Committee on Conference also approves $26,906 in general funds to fund the additional salary amounts for the Administrative Director and Deputy Administrative Director of the Courts.  Approval of this funding provides for salary compensation levels comparable to that of other state officials whose salaries have been systematically adjusted for pay increases and changes in the cost of living over the years.

     Your Committee on Conference also approves $281,314 in general funds to upgrade the recording equipment in fourteen courtrooms at the Ronald T.Y. Moon Judiciary Complex in Kapolei.  Updating the current Jefferson Audio Visual System (JAVS) hardware and software is necessary to maintain operations throughout the complex and improve the quality of services for members of the public and Judiciary staff.

     Your Committee on Conference also approves two special duty officers and $147,600 in general funds for the Third Circuit.  This position authorization will provide dedicated special duty police officers at both the Kona Family Court and Kona Circuit Court to address the ongoing sheriff staffing problems at the facilities.

     Your Committee on Conference also approves $300,000 in general funds to provide purchase of service funding for juvenile and adult client services.  Purchase of service funds will aid in providing the treatment and program services necessary to reduce recidivism among juvenile and adult offenders.

     Your Committee on Conference also approves $94,900 in general funds to replace the Children's Justice Center interview recording equipment state-wide.  The highest priority of the Center is to provide a familiar and neutral facility to interview child abuse victims and crime witnesses.  Thus far, the Center has interviewed over twenty-five thousand child abuse victims, primarily victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault.  It is imperative for the Center to have reliable equipment to record these types of interviews.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1638, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1638, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Co-Chair
____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Co-Chair	____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair