STAND. COM. REP. NO.  820

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 304

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 304 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE VACANCIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that persons appointed to fill vacancies in Hawaii's House of Representatives, Senate, and United States Senate seats appropriately represent their constituents, by requiring these appointees to be:

 

(1)  Selected from a list of three candidates submitted by the prior incumbent's political party; and

 

(2)  Registered members of that political party, and have been members for at least six months immediately prior to the time of appointment.

 

     The Oahu County Committee of the Democrat Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Chapter of Americans for Democratic Action, League of Women Voters, and a concerned individual supported this bill.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by, among other things:

 

     (1)  Requiring prospective appointees to be residents of the same electoral district as the prior incumbent;

 

     (2)  Removing the term "registered" from the requirement that the appointee be a member of the same political party as the prior incumbent; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 304, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 304, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair