STAND. COM. REP. NO. 572

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 654

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 654 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that every judgment for child support, including a judgment for reimbursement or other debts, shall be enforceable until paid in full.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that child support judgments are considered paid and discharged when the child turns thirty-three years old or when the latest period provided in section 657-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, expires, whichever is later. This measure will require that child support be paid in full to be considered discharged.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the provisions of this measure are notwithstanding section 657-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which considers every child support judgment paid and discharged at the expiration of ten years after the judgment or decree was rendered; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 654, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 654, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair