STAND. COM. REP. NO. 945

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 485

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 485 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JUDGES FOR THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an additional district court judgeship in the First Circuit.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, Hawaii State Bar Association, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the establishment of an additional District Court judge will help the court better manage court dockets, be more responsive to the needs of the community, increase the capacity of rural courts, and develop or expand specialized court calendars.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 485, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 485, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair