STAND. COM. REP. NO. 148

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 482

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 S.B. No. 482 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 appropriate funds for the Judiciary for the fiscal biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Hawai‘i Access to Justice Commission, Hawaii State Bar Association, Hawaii State Bar Association Appellate Section, Hawaii State Bar Association Litigation Section, Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i, Volunteer Legal Services Hawai‘i, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the appropriations made by this measure are intended to assist the Judiciary in its efforts to fulfill its constitutional and statutory duties for the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Increasing the appropriation amount to the Judiciary for fiscal year 2023-2024 by $5,000,000 for the upgrade and modernization of the elevators at Kaahumanu Hale; and

(2) Increasing the appropriation amount to the Third Circuit for fiscal year 2023-2024 by $75,000 to fund the Zero to Three Court.

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 S.B. No. 482, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 482, 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,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair