STAND. COM. REP. NO.  187

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 631

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 631 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FINANCIAL HARDSHIP,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Provide judges with greater discretion to adjust the payment of fees or fines for violations of certain traffic offenses based on a person's inability to pay or financial circumstances;

 

     (2)  Decrease the imprisonment term to contumacious nonpayment ratio; and

 

     (3)  Increase the amount of credit given to a person committed for contumacious nonpayment.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Office of the Public Defender, Community Alliance on Prisons, and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Financial Hardship Task Force, established pursuant to Act 112, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, made several recommendations on how to improve the current traffic system to address the needs of those who are experiencing financial hardship.  Your Committee further finds that this measure implements several recommendations from the Task Force.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 631 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair