HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2228

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to voter registration.

 

 

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

 


SECTION 1.  The right to vote is one of a citizen's most important rights.  In 1959, approximately ninety per cent of registered voters in Hawaii voted in the election that eventually led to statehood.  Over the ensuing forty years, however, voter-participation rates in Hawaii have fallen.  In the most recent general election in 2014, only 52.3 per cent of registered voters cast a ballot.  The reasons for the steep decline in voter-participation rates in Hawaii are many and complex.  Nevertheless, greater efforts must be made to encourage the people of Hawaii to vote for their leaders.  One way is to help young people acquire the civic habit of voting at an early age.  If a person begins voting as soon as the person is eligible to do so, that person tends to vote throughout the person's lifetime.

The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require all twelfth-grade students in public schools to register to vote before graduating; and

     (2)  Require the department of education to hold a one-hour class session for all twelfth-grade students in public schools that is dedicated to elections and voting.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§302A-   Voter registration; requirement.  (a)  The department shall require all students in the twelfth grade in public schools who are eligible to vote to register to vote as a requirement of graduation.

     (b)  The department shall hold a one-hour class session for all twelfth-grade students in public schools that is dedicated to elections and voting.  The department may determine the content of the class session; provided that instruction about elections and information on the voting process shall be included.  The class session shall be held as part of a related field of study, such as social studies, history, or civics.

     (c)  At least five days prior to the class session required in subsection (b), voter registration forms shall be distributed to students.  The forms shall be collected from the students during the class session.

     (d)  A student shall be exempted from the requirements of this section by submitting to the school that the student attends, a written request to opt out on a form provided by the school; provided that the request to opt out shall be submitted by:

     (1)  The student, if the student has reached the age of majority; or

     (2)  The student's parent, legal guardian, custodian, or any other person in loco parentis to the student, if the student has not reached the age of majority.

     (e)  The department may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to implement this section."

     SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2016.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Voter Registration; Twelfth-Graders in Public Schools

 

Description:

Requires all students in the twelfth grade in public schools who are eligible to vote to register to vote as a requirement of graduation.  Requires the Department of Education to hold a one-hour class session for all twelfth-grade students in public schools that is dedicated to elections and voting.

 

 

 

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