STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2150

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2375

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2375 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 one additional district court judgeship in the First Circuit.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary and Hawaii State Bar Association.

Your Committee finds that it has been more than forty years since the last district court judge was authorized in 1982. Since then, there has been a significant increase in the population of the City and County of Honolulu. According to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the population of the City and County of Honolulu grew from 762,565 in 1981 to 1,000,890 in 2021. Presently, the Judiciary relies heavily on per diem judges to preside over district court calendars. However, the availability of per diem judges is often limited because most per diem judges are practicing attorneys with other professional responsibilities. This measure will enable the district court to better manage court dockets and be more responsive to the needs of the community while also increasing capacity in rural courts and developing and expanding specialized court calendars.

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. 2375 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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