STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3048

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1844

       H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 1844, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION TO CHANGE THE THRESHOLD VALUE IN CONTROVERSY REQUIREMENT FOR JURY TRIALS IN CIVIL CASES AT COMMON LAW FROM $5,000 TO $10,000,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to propose a constitutional amendment to increase the threshold value in controversy requirement for jury trials in civil cases from $5,000 to $10,000.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from State Farm Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure reflects inflation and is intended to lessen the burden on Circuit Courts with matters not involving large sums of money.  This measure is also intended to lessen the costs of a jury trial in Circuit Court, which can be much slower and more expensive than if a bench trial is held in District Court.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1844, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair