Bill Text: HI SB2443 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Family Court; Judge; Appropriation ($)
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-21 - Referred to JDL, WAM. [SB2443 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2014-SB2443-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2443 |
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TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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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 from the public. Heavy caseloads make it increasingly difficult for judges to make rulings on important matters on a timely basis, and can prevent cases from being resolved in an expeditious and cost effective manner. Approximately 50,000 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 added expenses in family court litigation, and most importantly allow judges to have more adequate time to resolve the cases and disputes that touch every part of the community. There has been legislation over the years in support of creating a new family court judge position, but lack of funding has prevented the family court from receiving the assistance it needs. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to allow the judiciary to hire an additional family court judge for the first judicial circuit.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $178,536 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014-2015 to fund one additional permanent full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) family court judge position in the first judicial circuit.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the judiciary for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2014.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Family Court; Judge; Appropriation
Description:
Provides funds to the judiciary for an additional full-time family court judge position for the family court of the first judicial circuit.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
