STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2204

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2446

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2446 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:

(1) Increase the number of associate judges on the Intermediate Court of Appeals from six to seven; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Judiciary and one individual.

Your Committee finds that establishing an additional associate judge to serve on the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals will yield faster resolutions of appeals in criminal cases. This measure will reduce the case backlog of the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals which will reduce delays for defendants awaiting a decision.

Your Committee notes that according to the testimony of the Judiciary, in Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the Intermediate Court of Appeals disposed of five hundred ninety-nine cases while five hundred ninety three cases were filed. While your Committee recognizes this achievement, it believes that the Intermediate Court of Appeals should aim to resolve appellate cases within one year from filing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have appropriated funds for an additional Intermediate Appellate Court associate judge; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2446, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2446, 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