STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1648

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 379

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 379, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WITNESSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase fees and travel-related allowances paid to witnesses in criminal cases.

     Specifically, the measure increases:

     (1)  Witnesses' daily fees from $20 to $55; and

(2)  Per diem payment to witnesses who travel from out of state, and witnesses who travel inter-island and stay overnight, from $110 to $160 per day to attend court proceedings.

     The Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu submitted comments in support of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that the Judiciary may need time to accommodate the increase in costs of fees and travel-related allowances to witnesses and to adopt any new forms necessary to reflect these changes.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 1, 2008.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 379, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 379, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair