STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1028-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2005

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 2005, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand access to voter registration by:

(1) Requiring that any person who is eligible to vote and applies for a new or renewal motor vehicle driver's license, provisional license, or instruction permit, or a new, renewal, or duplicate identification card be automatically registered to vote, unless the applicant affirmatively declines to be registered to vote; and

(2) Authorizing access to and electronic transmission of databases maintained or operated by the counties or the Department of Transportation containing driver's license or identification card information to election officials and the statewide voter registration system.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Disability and Communication Access Board; Office of the County Clerk of the County of Kauai; Office of the County Clerk of the County of Hawaii; Common Cause Hawaii; AAUW of Hawaii; Americans for Democratic Action – Hawaii; AVR Hawaii Coalition; Hawaii Community Foundation; Sierra Club of Hawaii; Indivisible Hawaii; Community Alliance on Prisons; Faith Action for Community Equity; Hamakua Resistance; Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawaii Public Health Institute; Hawaii Women's Coalition; Hookipa Network - Kauai; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; League of Women Voters of Hawaii County; LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii; Pono Hawaii Initiative; Pride @ Work – Hawaii; Transform Hawaii Government; We Are One, Inc.; Young Progressives Demanding Action; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Elections, Department of Transportation, and American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that this measure will significantly facilitate civic participation in elections and will modernize Hawaii's voter registration system to make it more accurate and secure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Prohibiting the examiner of drivers from electronically transmitting any information if an applicant affirmatively declines for the applicant's information to be transmitted;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2005, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2005, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair