STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2940

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2456

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2456, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION CARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of limited purpose identification cards for certain residents.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Hawai‘i Friends of Civil Rights, Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Community Alliance on Prisons, Parents and Children Together, The Legal Clinic, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, and nine individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that in 2015, the Legislature created a limited purpose driver's license, a limited purpose provisional driver's license, and a limited purpose instruction permit. Many young adults, elderly residents, houseless persons, recently released inmates, undocumented immigrants, and lawfully present non-immigrants who do not drive and cannot meet the heightened standards for a REAL ID-compliant identification card are unable to access state-issued identification. Proving one's identity is a necessity that has been turned into an obstacle for many individuals and further heightened by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic since proof of identification is required for entry into many public venues. Authorizing the issuance of limited purpose identification cards will improve access for residents of the State, including marginalized or disadvantaged residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that documents that may be used to establish a person's identity include a prisoner identification card, certificate of discharge, order of parole, or printout prepared by the Department of Public Safety with the person's photograph, name, and date of birth;

(2) Clarifying that an individual issued a limited purpose identification card shall surrender any REAL ID compliant identification card, drivers' license, or permit at the time the limited purpose identification card is issued to the examiner of drivers;

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 30, 2075, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2456, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2456, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair