STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1258

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 586

       H.D. 2

       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 Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 586, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require the Judiciary to develop, implement, and administer an automated court appearance reminder system that generates text message and electronic mail notifications for upcoming court appearances in certain types of cases; and

 

     (2)  Appropriate funds.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender, Opportunity Youth Action Hawai‘i, and four individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

 

     Your Committee finds that cases become backlogged when the parties to a court proceeding fail to appear and cause the proceeding to be delayed.  However, if a court issues a text message reminder or other type of reminder regarding the future court appearance, cases are more likely to proceed as scheduled.  This measure will require the Judiciary to implement an automated court appearance reminder system, which will encourage people who have a scheduled court appearance to voluntarily comply, reduce rates of "failure to appear", and thus help to maximize the efficiency of the Judiciary's operations.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting language that would have allowed the Judiciary to contract the administration of the automated court appearance reminder system to a third party.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 586, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 586, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair