STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1170

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1450
                                        H.D. 1
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No.
1450, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide the necessary
appropriations for the operation of and capital improvements for
the Judiciary branch for the 1999-2001 fiscal biennium.

     Your Committee finds that the Judiciary has made valiant
efforts to maintain the level of services that Hawaii's citizens
deserve through the identification of innovative methods and
cost-cutting strategies even though financial resources have been
severely limited.  However, your Committee further finds the
current level of resources available to the Judiciary places
unacceptable limitations on the services which need to be
provided to those seeking the assistance of the courts.
Additional resources, such as new judgeships, additional staff
support, and improvements in the security of the courts, are
needed to ensure that the provision of these services are
continued.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the
Judiciary.


 
a                                                     
 
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1170
                                   Page 2


     Your Committee would like to highlight six areas of funding
which your Committee believes are priority requests for the
Judiciary:

     (1)  The Hawaii Drug Court Program;

     (2)  One additional Family Court Judge and support staff for
          the First Circuit;

     (3)  One additional Circuit Court Judge for the Fifth
          Circuit;

     (4)  Attorney and Guardian Ad Litem Fees for Family Court in
          the Second and Third Circuits;

     (5)  The Ho'okele Court Navigation Project; and 

     (6)  The Alternatives to Incarceration Pilot Program.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this
measure by deleting its substance and inserting the contents of
S.B. 894 as originally introduced.  In addition, your Committee
has further amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the specific provision authorizing the
          transfer of savings from the general fund appropriation
          to the driver education special fund, as the general
          program provisions of this budget already allow the
          chief justice to transfer sufficient funds between
          programs to cover operating expenses; and

     (2)  Adding a provision that earmarks up to $50,000 for the
          Alternatives to Incarceration Pilot Program.

     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.
1450, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1450, H.D.
1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.


 
a                                                     
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1170
                                   Page 3


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



                                   ______________________________
                                   AVERY B. CHUMBLEY, Co-Chair



                                   ______________________________
                                   MATTHEW M. MATSUNAGA, Co-Chair

 
a