Bill > HB396

This bill increases compensation rates for court-appointed counsel in Hawaii's criminal justice system by significantly raising hourly rates and maximum fee caps across different types of legal proceedings. Specifically, the hourly rate for appointed attorneys will increase from $90 to $150, and the maximum allowable fees will be substantially raised for various case types: felony cases from $6,000 to $12,000, misdemeanor jury trials from $3,000 to $6,000, misdemeanor jury-waived cases from $1,500 to $3,000, appeals from $5,000 to $9,000, petty misdemeanor cases from $900 to $1,800, and other administrative or judicial proceedings from $3,000 to $6,000. The bill also allows courts to approve payments exceeding these maximums if they certify that additional compensation is necessary to provide fair payment. To fund these increased compensation rates, the legislature will appropriate $2,890,000 for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, with funds to be distributed by the department of budget and finance. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2025, aiming to ensure that court-appointed attorneys receive more competitive compensation for their legal services.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=396&year=2025