STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3287

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 2137

        S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2137, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require that a county with more than one island in its jurisdiction shall establish at least one voter service center on each island; and

 

     (2)  Authorize election officials to establish additional voter service centers.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Elections, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Office of the Maui County Clerk, Common Cause Hawaii, and one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that Act 136, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, converts Hawaii elections to a statewide vote-by-mail system beginning with the 2020 election year.  Act 136 establishes a limited number of voter service centers that will remain open from the tenth business day preceding an election through the day of the election to receive personal delivery of mail-in ballots, offer same day registration and voting, and provide other election services.  This measure requires voter service centers on specific islands and authorizes the establishment of additional voter service centers to ensure elections by mail may be properly administered this 2020 election year.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Exempting Niihau from the voter service center requirement;

 

     (2)  Providing that all voter service centers shall remain open until 7:00 p.m. on the date of the election; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2137, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2137, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair