STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2634

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2172

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2172, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXPERT WITNESS FEES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify fee and per diem payment provisions for certain expert witnesses who are required to attend a state court or grand jury regarding a criminal case.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender, the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu, and The Sex Abuse Treatment Center.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

 

     Your Committee finds that the appearance of expert witnesses is often necessary for the fair adjudication of criminal cases.  Accordingly, there is a need to clarify applicable statutory provisions relating to expert witness fees and per diem payments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2172, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2172, S.D. 2.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair