STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1928-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.C.R. No. 213

S.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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 213, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COURTS TO COLLECT, COMPILE, AND SHARE DATA ON THE ASSESSMENT OF FEES, COURT COSTS, FINES, AND RESTITUTION IN CASES AGAINST MINORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Office of the Administrative Director of the Courts to collect, compile, and share data on the assessment of fees, court costs, fines, and restitution in cases against minors.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender; ACLU Hawaiʻi; Policy Advocacy Clinic at Berkeley Law; Hawaiʻi Friends of Restorative Justice; Opportunity Youth Action Hawaiʻi; and Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

Your Committee finds that the imposition of fees, fines, and costs on young people and their families can have wide-ranging consequences, none of which serves the purposes of rehabilitating, deterring, or punishing delinquent youth. Your Committee further finds that these monetary assessments have a disproportionate impact on families of color and can even lead to recidivism and escalating crime. The information provided pursuant to this measure will assist the Legislature as it examines the practice of imposing monetary assessments on Hawaii's youth and families.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 213, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair