STAND. COM. REP. NO. 842-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1759

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1759 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEGAL SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Judiciary to contract with nonprofit organizations to provide legal counsel and assistance to low-income immigrants in immigration proceedings, including deportation defense and asylum, and for any other immigration legal issues.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Office of the Public Defender, Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, The Legal Clinic, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Pacific Gateway Center, Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Hawai‘i Access to Justice Commission, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Department of Budget and Finance.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1759 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair