STAND. COM. REP. NO. 511

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 329

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 329 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEGAL SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Judiciary to purchase civil legal services for low- and moderate-income persons.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Delivery of Legal Services to the Public Committee of the Hawaii State Bar Association, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, and eight individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that civil legal services are critical because these services assist families in crisis in finding stability and hope.  Pursuant to S.R. No. 6, S.D. 1 (Regular Session of 2015), the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission convened a working group of state and community entities to determine and report which agency or organization should administer funding of civil legal services to low- and moderate income persons.  This measure reflects the recommendations of the working group, and the appropriation will restore and support funding for civil legal services for low- and moderate income persons through contracts administered by the Judiciary.

 

     Your Committee notes that the Judiciary budget measure, S.B. No. 469, Regular Session of 2017, currently proposes $750,000 in funding for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 for civil legal services as part of program ID JUD601.  Your Committee has clarified with Legal Aid Society of Hawaii that the amount requested by this measure is the aggregate total it considers necessary to fully fund these services, inclusive of the amount currently provided for in S.B. No. 469.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion.

 

     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 S.B. No. 329, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 329, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair