CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.99

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 500

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 500, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to provide the necessary appropriations and authorizations for the operation of the Judiciary for fiscal biennium 2005-2007.

Your Committee on Conference has increased the Judiciary's budget in general funds by $9,644,308 and $9,394,425 for fiscal year 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, respectively. Collective bargaining accounts for a little over thirty per cent of these general fund increases, with judges and director pay raises, pursuant to authorization by Act 123, Session Laws of Hawaii 2003, accounting for fourteen per cent ($1,341,102) and eighteen per cent ($1,723,456), in each respective year.

The remainder of the funding provided by your Committee on Conference is mainly focused upon the continued funding of the Drug Court program. Your Committee on Conference recognizes the importance of the Drug Courts and the significant strides they have made. As such, your Committee on Conference remains dedicated to substance abuse prevention in the State. To this end, in addition to funds from Act 40, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, your Committee on Conference has provided an additional $751,998 in general funds for fiscal year 2005-2006 and $623,161 in general funds for fiscal year 2006-2007 in keeping with its commitment to continue funding the Drug Court program.

Your Committee on Conference has also carefully considered the Judiciary's budget requests and sought to provide general funds for the following items:

(1) $297,388 for fiscal year 2005-2006 and $470,162 for fiscal year 2006-2007 for operating expenses for the new Kauai court complex in the fifth circuit;

(2) $359,491 for fiscal year 2005-2006 and $322,691 for fiscal year 2006-2007 to replace federal funding ending April, 2005, for the juvenile sex offender program to enable the program to continue operating;

(3) $170,000 for each year of the fiscal biennium for the Hawaii State Law Library for the most current books and subscriptions;

(4) $86,524 for each year of the fiscal biennium to permanently establish the parent education "Kids First" program;

(5) $40,000 and $50,000 for each respective fiscal year for the biennium for the children's justice center program; and

(6) $27,000 for each year of the fiscal biennium to provide security guard services for juvenile detention in the third circuit.

Your Committee on Conference has also increased the computer system special fund ceiling in order to accommodate the projected expenditures due to the implementation of the Judiciary integrated case management system computer system.

Your Committee on Conference also provided $95,000,000 in capital improvement funding for the Kapolei judiciary complex. Your Committee on Conference finds that an immediate appropriation for the complex is necessary to secure 13.6 acres of land from the Estate of James Campbell at no cost to the State.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 500, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 500, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________

COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair

____________________________

DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Co-Chair