STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1338

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 35

S.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 35, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Judiciary to purchase civil legal services for low- and moderate-income persons.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Department of Human Services, Hawai‘i Access to Justice Commission, The Legal Clinic, Domestic Violence Action Center, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i, Volunteer Legal Services Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that legal services can be prohibitively expensive for low- and moderate-income persons. Your Committee further finds that there are several nonprofit and volunteer organizations in the State that provide quality legal services to these persons. This measure helps to ensure that legal services are available to persons who need them but lack the resources to pay for them.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $1,200,000.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 35, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair