STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1963

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 74

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 74 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE FACILITATION OF A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR IMMIGRANTS FROM PARTIES TO THE COMPACTS OF FREE ASSOCIATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage the facilitation of a path to citizenship for immigrants from parties to the Compacts of Free Association.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) are a series of treaties between the United States, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Your Committee finds that COFA allows citizens of Micronesia to live and legally work in the United States without visas as "non-immigrants". While citizens of COFA nations present in the United States are eligible to receive some social and health services that other immigrants and United States citizens can receive, they are ineligible for other services, including Medicaid. Under United States immigration law there is no path to United States citizenship for citizens of COFA nations. This measure encourages the creation of a path to citizenship for citizens of COFA nations.

Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying its legislative findings.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 74, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 74, S.D. 1.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair