THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1027
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to family court.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the Hawaii family court lacks sufficient financial resources to meet the growing demands placed on it by the public.  Heavy caseloads make it increasingly difficult for judges to make rulings on important matters in a timely manner and can prevent cases from being resolved in an expeditious and cost-effective manner.  Approximately fifty thousand litigants went through family court last year, and with numbers constantly on the rise, family court receives more motions and cases than any other court in the State.  In 2013, the three domestic division judges handled approximately four thousand divorce and custody cases, the four juvenile division judges handled over two thousand one hundred juvenile and child abuse cases, and the three special division judges handled eleven thousand five hundred restraining order, paternity, adoption, involuntary commitment, and guardianship hearings.  As an example of the delay this creates for the public, in 2013 the wait time for a post-decree divorce motion hearing was five months.

     The legislature further finds that an additional family court judge position would decrease delays and expenses in family court litigation and, most importantly, allow judges to have adequate time to resolve the cases and disputes that affect every part of the community.  A lack of funding has prevented the family court from creating a new family court judge position.  The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to allow the judiciary to hire an additional family court judge and three support staff for the first judicial circuit.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to fund one additional permanent full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) family court judge position, two additional permanent full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) circuit court clerk II positions, and one additional permanent full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) court bailiff position in the family court of the first judicial circuit.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the judiciary for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Family Court; Judge; Support Staff; Appropriation

 

Description:

Provides funds to the judiciary for one judge and three support staff for the family court of the first judicial circuit.

 

 

 

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