The House of
Representatives today approved HB1638
HD2,
appropriating $161,137,650 for operating expenses and $50,590,000 for capital
improvement costs of the Hawaii State Judiciary for fiscal year FY2014-2015.
The budget now goes to the Senate for further consideration.
"We
would like to thank Chair Karl Rhoads, House Judiciary; and the Chief Justice
and the Judiciary staff for working in close collaboration with us in putting
together a budget that addresses fundamental operating a safety concerns for
their operations statewide. The Finance
Committee was able to tour several Judiciary facilities this past interim, and
being able to put what we learned into the context of these funding requests was
a key factor in our decisions," said Finance Chair Sylvia Luke.
The
budget includes $40 million in funding for the design and construction of the
Kona Judiciary Complex, an $81 million courthouse complex to service the needs
of Kona on the Big Island. These funds consist of the initial $9 million appropriated
by the legislature last year to begin the planning process and a supplemental
$31 million this year for the construction of the courthouse.
The
supplemental Judiciary budget also includes appropriations for renovations,
repairs and maintenance to existing facilities; landscape improvements; new
construction; land acquisition; and utility modifications.
The
bill also provides additional funds to increase the Judiciary’s services to the
public. Expanded services include:
·
$789,000
for service contracts to provide essential treatment to adult and juvenile
offenders and their victims;
·
$70,000
to increase guardian ad litem and legal counsel services for indigent parties;
·
$198,493
and two social worker positions to expand mental health programs that serve
clients with serious mental illnesses;
·
$152,788
and two social worker assistant positions to ensure continuation of periodic
drug testing of offenders;
·
$94,900
to replace equipment used to interview children who are victims of or are
affected by domestic violence, custody, or safety issues; and
·
$1,700,000
to restructure the budget of the Judiciary to facilitate reclassification of
critical positions.
