REPORT TITLE:
Elections; Appropriation


DESCRIPTION:
Appropriates an unspecified amount to the elections appointment
and review panel; provides for the removal of the chief election
officer upon a showing of good cause.  (SD 1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2829
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE ELECTIONS APPOINTMENT AND REVIEW PANEL.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 11-2.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
 
 2 requires the elections appointment and review panel to oversee
 
 3 the operation of elections and the performance of the chief
 
 4 election officer.  However, as enacted by Act 141, Session Laws
 
 5 of Hawaii 1999, no money was appropriated to carry out this
 
 6 function.  This Act:
 
 7      (1)  Clarifies that the panel may remove the chief election
 
 8           officer for good cause;
 
 9      (2)  Extends by twenty days the deadline for the panel to
 
10           submit the findings and recommendations from its
 
11           biennial performance evaluation of the operation of
 
12           elections and the performance of the chief election
 
13           officer; and
 
14      (3)  Provides the necessary appropriation to enable the
 
15           panel to perform these duties.
 
16      SECTION 2.  Section 11-1.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
17 amended by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:
 
18      "(g)  The chief election officer may be removed by the panel
 
19 at any time [and] for [any] good cause."
 

 
Page 2                                                     2829
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 3.  Section 11-2.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended to read as follows:
 
 3      "[[]�11-2.7[]]  Elections review program.  The elections
 
 4 appointment and review panel shall develop and implement an
 
 5 elections review program, the purposes of which shall be to:
 
 6      (1)  Establish performance standards for the operation of
 
 7           elections and the performance of the chief election
 
 8           officer.  The performance standards shall provide the
 
 9           criteria by which the operation of elections and the
 
10           performance of the chief election officer will be
 
11           evaluated;
 
12      (2)  Review the operation of elections and the performance
 
13           of the chief election officer;
 
14      (3)  Make recommendations to the chief election officer on
 
15           methods to improve the operation of elections;
 
16      (4)  Establish policies for the administration of an
 
17           elections observer program, to include ensuring the
 
18           validity and reliability of election results;
 
19      (5)  Conduct a biennial performance evaluation of the
 
20           operation of elections and the performance of the chief
 
21           election officer;
 

 
 
 
 
 
Page 3                                                     2829
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        S.D. 1
                                                        

 
 1      (6)  Submit the findings and recommendations from the
 
 2           biennial performance evaluation to the legislature,
 
 3           [not less than twenty days prior to] no later than the
 
 4           convening of each regular session held in odd-numbered
 
 5           years; and
 
 6      (7)  Adopt rules in accordance with chapter 91 to carry out
 
 7           the purposes of this section."
 
 8      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 9 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much
 
10 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 for the
 
11 elections appointment and review panel to perform their duties.
 
12      The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of the
 
13 lieutenant governor for the purposes of this Act.
 
14      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.