HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

746

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to election observers.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 11-8.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§11-8.5[]]  Elections review program.  The elections commission shall develop and implement an elections review program to:

     (1)  Review the operation and performance of elections;

     (2)  Make recommendations to the chief election officer on methods to improve elections;

     (3)  Establish policies for the administration of an elections observer program, [to include ensuring] which the chief election officer shall implement and maintain for the purposes of:

         (A)  Ensuring the validity and reliability of election results;

         (B)  Providing independent observers from the general public to secure the integrity and security of the ballot processing and tabulation systems;

         (C)  Verifying that the ballot counting program used to process and tabulate election results functions correctly and accurately;

         (D)  Certifying the receipt of ballots from the United States post offices, counties, and precinct polling places;

         (E)  Observing the operations of each ballot counting center and reporting all procedural irregularities, discrepancies, and other special conditions to the counting center management;

         (F)  Verifying election results; and

         (G)  Maintaining the security of ballots and other sensitive elections documents throughout the tabulation process and the final storage of all such documents.

     (4)  Conduct a biennial evaluation of the operation of elections;

     (5)  Submit the findings and recommendations from the biennial evaluation to the legislature, not less than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session held in odd-numbered years; and

     (6)  Adopt rules in accordance with chapter 91 to carry out the purposes of this section."

     SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Elections Observer Program

 

Description:

Specifies the purposes of the elections observer program and the  duty of the chief election officer to implement and maintain the program.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.