STAND. COM. REP. NO. 5

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 35

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 35 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Judiciary to purchase civil legal services for low- and moderate-income persons.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Department of Human Services, Domestic Violence Action Center, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hawaii Access to Justice Commission, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii, and five individuals.

 

Your Committee finds that legal services are often prohibitively expensive for low- and moderate- income persons.  Your Committee further finds that a number of nonprofit and volunteer organizations exist to provide quality legal services to persons who require services but lack the resources to pay for them.  Your Committee additionally finds that, although these organizations generally function on a volunteer basis, they still require funding for operating costs and other expenses.  This measure will support these organizations in providing legal services to those in need.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by amending section 1 to delete superfluous language.

 

     Your Committee notes that this measure is not meant to affect any other appropriation for the same purpose.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 35, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 35, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair