STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1258-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2458

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2458, S.D. 2, 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 and for any other legal issues pertaining to immigration.

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

Your Committee finds that many noncitizens lack the resources to obtain legal representation to help navigate the highly complex immigration court process, which may result in detainment or deportation. This measure will allow noncitizens to obtain vital legal counsel and assistance to ensure a more fair process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Updating its purpose section; and

(2) Changing certain references from "immigrant" to "noncitizen" to better describe the class of persons involved.

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 S.B. No. 2458, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2458, S.D. 2, 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