STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2073-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2919

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Office of the Public Defender for a Deputy Public Defender III position.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Community Alliance on Prisons; The Legal Clinic; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi; Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association; Roots Reborn; Vera Institute of Justice's Safety and Fairness for Everyone Network; Law Office of Georgette A. Yaindl, LLLC; and numerous individuals.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair