HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1609

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the participation of eligible voters in elections is vital to American democracy.  An integral part of voter participation is the maintenance of accurate and current voter registration rolls.  The Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc., or ERIC, is a nonprofit organization that was formed in 2012 to help states improve the accuracy of voter registration rolls by using secure data-matching tools.  ERIC uses the voter registration rolls of member states and several other databases, such as driver's licensing records, Social Security Administration records, and the United States Postal Service's national change of address registry to compare voting lists.  Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia now participate in ERIC and receive, as member states, reports that show voters who have moved within the respective states, voters who have moved out of the state, voters with duplicate registrations within the state, voters who have passed away, and individuals who are potentially eligible to vote and have not yet registered to vote.

     The legislature further finds that many persons reside in Hawaii on a part-time basis.  This mobile population may be registered to vote in more than one state due to outdated registration records, thus challenging the accuracy of Hawaii's and other states' voter registration rolls.  Accordingly, the legislature finds that modernizing Hawaii's system of verifying voter registration data is essential to ensuring the integrity of Hawaii's voter registration rolls.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require and appropriate funds for the office of elections to file an application with ERIC for the State to be admitted as a member of the organization;

     (2)  Require the State and each county to use the information and services made available by ERIC to verify their voter rolls; and

     (3)  Require the office of elections to annually request an appropriation from the legislature for the State's annual membership dues to ERIC.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§11-     Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc.; membership; voter registration; verification; annual budget request.  (a)  No later than June 30, 2025, the office of elections shall file an application with the Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc., for the State to be admitted as a member of the organization.

     (b)  The office of elections shall share with each county the information and services made available by the Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc., pursuant to the terms and conditions of the State's membership agreement with the organization.  The office of elections and each county office that administers elections shall use information and services made available by the Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc., to verify their respective voter registration rolls.

     (c)  Beginning with fiscal year 2025-2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the office of elections shall request as part of its annual budget an appropriation from the legislature to pay the State's annual membership dues to the Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc."

     SECTION 3.  In accordance with section 9 of article VII of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriations contained in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $           or      per cent.  This current declaration takes into account general fund appropriations authorized for fiscal year 2024-2025 in Act 164, Regular Session of 2023, and this Act only.  The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that:

     (1)  The appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest; and

     (2)  The appropriation made in this Act meets the needs addressed by this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the office of elections to prepare and file an application with Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc., for the State to be admitted as a member of the organization.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of elections for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

 

 

Report Title:

Office of Elections; Counties; Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc.; Membership; Voter Registration; Verification; Application; Expenditure Ceiling; Appropriation

 

Description:

Requires the Office of Elections to apply to be a member of the Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc. (ERIC), by 6/30/2025.  Requires the Office of Elections and counties to use information and services made available by ERIC to verify their respective voter registration rolls.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

 

 

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