STAND. COM. REP. 588

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 981

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 981 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill, as received, is to exempt from jury duty persons who live more than seventy miles from the court for which jury service is required.

The Judiciary testified in opposition to the bill and the Office of the Public Defender testified about its concerns with the bill. An individual testified in support of the bill.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Repealing the exemptions from jury service for the categories of attorney, head of an executive department, elected official, judge, minister or priest, physician or dentist, member of the armed forces or militia on active service, and an active member of the police or fire department; and

(2) Adding exemptions from jury service for:

(a) Elected officials, but the exemption can only be claimed when the legislative body is in session; and

(b) Persons eighty years of age or older.

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. 981, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 981, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

 

____________________________

ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair