HB2502 HD1 HSCR147-02

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.147-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2502

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2502 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MARRIAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this administration bill is to provide a more streamlined, efficient, and convenient process for registering and recording marriage events. This bill:

(1) Requires the county governments to act as primary agents authorized to grant marriage licenses;

(2) Provides that the license to perform marriages shall be renewed on an annual basis to allow more effective oversight of licensees; and

(3) Increases the marriage license fee to:

(A) Provide adequate county funding;

(B) Improve the present paper-based marriage license system by establishing a computer-based electronic licensing system; and

(C) Fund the Hawaii Birth Defects Program, which has no funding after June 30, 2002.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Department of Health (DOH), and an individual. Comments were provided by the City and County of Honolulu and five individuals. Testimony in opposition was received from Christian Voice of Hawaii, Windward Worship Center, Hawaii State Trial Judges Association, Hawaii Catholic Conference, the House Representative of the 47^th district, and a number of concerned individuals.

Your Committee finds that in addition to increasing the efficiency of the marriage license and registration system, this bill will have the positive effect of:

(1) Providing more certainty, especially for tourists and neighbor island visitors, as to where to obtain a marriage license; and

(2) Allowing all recently married couples to receive their marriage certificates in several days rather than the current 120-day processing period.

Your Committee has amended this bill by reducing the fee for application for, or renewal of a license to perform marriages, from $100 to $1, consistent with testimony of DOH that this would be sufficient to cover the cost of keeping the list of those who are licensed current.

Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2502, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2502, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair