STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2312

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2048

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2048 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend the voter registration deadline from thirty to fifteen days prior to each election.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Elections; Elections Division, Office of the County Clerk of the County of Kauai; Common Cause Hawaii; Pono Hawaii Initiative; and six individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Act 136, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, established procedures for the State to implement a vote‑by‑mail system for all elections beginning with the 2020 primary elections.  Your Committee further finds that Hawaii has the lowest voter registration in the nation.  This measure will provide the busy residents of Hawaii additional time to register to vote by extending the period in which residents of the State may register to vote.

 


     Your Committee has amended this measure, as suggested by the Office of Elections, by:

 

     (1)  Changing the fine for providing false information to $10,000 to match class C felonies and fines for election offenses; and

 

     (2)  Authorizing the clerk to continue sending ballot packages beyond the authorized deadlines if the clerk determines that there is reasonable time for a voter to receive and submit the ballot before the election.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2048, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2048, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair