STAND. COM. REP. NO.  396-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2693

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2693 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL SELECTION COMMISSION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to satisfy the requirements of the Hawaii Constitution by making a separate appropriation to the Judicial Selection Commission (Commission) to meet its staff and operating expenses.  This bill also requires the Department of Accounting and General Services to provide various financial services to the Commission, including issuing warrants and making payments, which are consistent with the Commission's independent fiscal status.

 

     The Judiciary and the Commission testified in support of this bill.

 

     Article VI, Section 4 of the Hawaii Constitution provides that the "legislature shall provide for the staff and operating expenses of the judicial selection commission in a separate budget."  The current practice of inserting the Commission's appropriation in the Judiciary's budget does not satisfy the requirement of a separate budget.


 

     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. 2693 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair