Report Title:

Judicial Selection Commission; Budget Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds for the operation of the judicial selection commission. (HB290 HD1)

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

290

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE JUDICIAL SELECTION COMMISSION.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The judicial selection commission reviews and evaluates applicants for all judicial vacancies, selects the qualified nominees, and then forwards the names of the nominees to the appropriate appointing authority.  The judicial selection commission is an independent, constitutionally-created entity and, pursuant to article VI, section 4, of the Hawaii Constitution, is attached to the judicial branch for administrative support only.

     While article VI, section 4, of the Hawaii Constitution requires that the legislature "provide for the staff and operating expenses of the judicial selection commission in a separate budget," in prior years, the judicial selection commission has not presented its own budget request to the legislature.  Funding for the judicial selection commission has generally been included as part of the judiciary's budget.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for the judicial selection commission's operations for fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2009-2010 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010-2011 for the staffing and operation of the judicial selection commission.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the judicial selection commission for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.