STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3272

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2094

H.D. 1

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 H.B. No. 2094, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO JURY DUTY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the amount each juror or prospective juror is paid for each day of actual attendance at court; and

(2) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Office of the Public Defender, Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii State Bar Association, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that juror compensation was last increased in 1989 from $20 to $30 per day. Since that time, the cost of living in the State has drastically increased. While juror compensation is not meant to serve as a substitute for wages, this measure will increase the daily rate from $30 to $50 to provide some relief for those who serve this important civic duty.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of March 22, 2075, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified appropriation amount for the Judiciary. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider an appropriation amount of $684,385 which was originally requested by the Judiciary.

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 H.B. No. 2094, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2094, H.D. 1, 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,

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair