STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1421

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1263

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1263 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ORDER OF SUCCESSION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the order of succession to the office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committees find that having an effective line of succession to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor in the event of unavailability or incapacity of the current Lieutenant Governor is important to maintain efficient execution of government services and ensure that policies and initiatives are not compromised upon the change in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. This measure therefore makes certain changes to the order of succession to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.

Your Committees note the concerns raised in testimony by the Department of Budget and Finance, that this measure may leave a potential gap in the provision for succession in the event the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are not of the same political party as the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House or the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are simultaneously unable to hold their respective offices. Although the chances of this occurring is rare, it is possible. Your Committees further find that the purpose of the order of succession is to avoid confusion and disruption of the normal state government, even in the most unlikely of circumstances. Amendments to address the concerns raised in testimony are therefore necessary.

Your Committees have amended this measure by clarifying the order of succession to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor by:

(1) Reinstating statutory language that specifies the four state department directors who are in the line of succession; and

(2) Moving the individual appointed by the Governor ahead of the department directors in the line of succession

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1263, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1263, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair