STAND. COM. REP. NO. 647

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1742

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1742 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4, OF THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION RELATING TO THE JUDICIAL SELECTION COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to propose amendments to the Hawaii Constitution relating to the Judicial Selection Commission.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes a rotation among the appointive authorities to ensure that a Judicial Selection Commission member from the neighbor islands is appointed;

(2) Requires the publication of the biographies of Judicial Selection Commission members; and

(3) Prohibits Judicial Selection Commission members from actively supporting or opposing a political candidate or ballot question while serving as a member of the Commission.

Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the League of Women Voters of Hawaii and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Constitution does not expressly stipulate which appointive authority is required to appoint an individual from the neighbor islands to the Judicial Selection Commission. This measure seeks to remedy this situation by implementing a rotation among the appointive authorities under which this responsibility would be shared. Further, this measure requires the publication of the biographies of Judicial Selection Commission members as well as prohibits Judicial Selection Commission members from actively supporting or opposing a political candidate or ballot question while serving as a member of the Commission.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1742 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair