STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1766-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2557

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2557, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to allow the court to appoint an attorney for the subject of a petition for assisted community treatment, rather than entitling an indigent subject of a petition for assisted community treatment to representation by a public defender.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender; The Institute for Human Services, Inc.; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the ACLU of Hawaiʻi and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary and Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

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 S.B. No. 2557, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair