STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1480

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   S.B. No. 156

      S.D. 2

      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 S.B. No. 156, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to increase voter participation by authorizing a comprehensive election by mail program for all elections.

 

     The Chief Election Officer, Disability and Communication Access Board, and AARP Hawaii supported this bill.  The Office of the County Clerk of the County of Hawaii, Office of the County Clerk of the County of Maui, Office of the County Clerk of the County of Kauai, and the Office of the City Clerk of the City and County of Honolulu submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee understands the need to promote increased voter participation in our state.  However, your Committee is concerned that the comprehensive vote-by-mail system proposed in this measure may prove too burdensome and complex to implement. 


 

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with the contents of House Bill No. 764, H.D. 1.  As amended, this bill allows voters the option of receiving permanent absentee voter status, subject to certain conditions, and also contains safeguards to prevent abuse of this status. 

 

     Your Committee notes that allowing permanent absentee voting does not prevent voters who may wish to continue voting at polling places to do so.

 

     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 S.B. No. 156, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 156, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair