STAND. COM. REP. NO.188

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 168

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 168 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish a task force to comprehensively review, evaluate, and recommend changes to Hawaii's election laws regarding vote tabulation, and in particular, consideration of automatic recount and contest procedures.

Supportive testimony was submitted by Common Cause Hawaii. The Office of Elections and the League of Women Voters testified in support of the intent of this measure. The Hawaii Republican Party Chair testified orally in support of the bill.

Your Committee concurs with the objectives of this bill and believes it will help to reestablish the public's confidence in the elective process.

After careful consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Reducing the number of task force members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate President from three to two;

(2) Providing that the Minority Leaders of the House of Representatives and Senate each appoint one task force member;

(3) Clarifying language in the purpose section of the bill; and

(4) Making various technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, style, and conformity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 168, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 168, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair