STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2344

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 297

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred H.B. No. 297, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE PROBATION SERVICES FEE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the courts to assess a fee for probation services to all offenders under the supervision of the Adult Client Services Branch, including those granted deferred acceptance of guilty plea or deferred acceptance of nolo contendere plea, to hold offenders accountable for their actions and make them responsible for paying for some of their supervision costs.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary.

 

     Your Committee finds that in 2000, the Legislature established probation services fees to help defray the costs of administering probation services.  Offenders sentenced to probation are ordered to pay a probation services fee of $150 for the probation term that is for more than one year, and $75 for a probation term that is one year or less.  However, this fee cannot be ordered for those offenders who are granted deferrals.  This measure will allow the courts to collect probation services fees from offenders placed on deferral to make them accountable for their actions and to help pay for their supervision costs.  Moreover, this measure addresses the Judiciary's need for additional revenue to meet the rising costs of supervising offenders that are not covered by the general fund.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date from January 7, 2059, to effective upon its approval.

 

     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. 297, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 297, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, 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