STAND. COM. REP. NO.  379

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   H.B. No. 100

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 100 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to increase the level of participation in Hawaii's primary election and thereby influence interest in the general election by creating an election by mail system to be used as the principal method of casting votes in a federal, state, and county primary or special primary election.

 

     The Disability and Communication Access Board Hawaii, Hawaii Laborers' Union, Americans for Democratic Action, Common Cause, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Executive Director and Chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The Office of Elections and Office of the City Clerk of the City and County of Honolulu commented on this bill.      

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Further clarifying the election by mail system by expressly defining "election by mail";

 

     (2)  Changing the number of walk-in locations to be open on primary election day from not less than one on each island to not less than one in each representative district;

 

     (3)  Adding delivery to the methods by which a ballot may be obtained by an individual;

 

     (4)  Requiring the chief election officer, or the county clerk in a county election, to provide a suitable polling place for each precinct in a general election, and for not less than one location in each representative district for a primary election;

 

     (5)  Changing the effective date to January 7, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive revisions for purposes of 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. 100, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 100, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair