STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1529

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    H.B. No. 631

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 631, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure to is to accommodate within the justice system certain traffic violators who are facing financial hardship.

 

     More specifically, the measure:

 

(1)  Authorizes courts to adjust, based on a person's ability to pay, the amount owed or installments to be paid by a person who violates certain traffic offenses;

 

(2)  Amends the ratio of imprisonment term to contumacious nonpayment, from a maximum of one day for each $25 of a fee or fine, to a maximum of one day for each $250 of a fee or fine; and

 

(3)  Increases the amount of credit given to a person committed for contumacious nonpayment, from $25 per day to $250 per day.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender, Neighborhood Place of Puna, Community Alliance on Prisons, and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, City and County of Honolulu.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Financial Hardship Task Force, among other matters, made several recommendations for improving the processing of certain traffic offense to address individuals facing financial hardship.  Your Committee notes that this measure implements a number of the recommendations made by the task force.

 

     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 H.B. No. 631, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair