STAND. COM. REP. NO. 285

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 129

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 129 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RECOUNTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the threshold for when a mandatory recount in an election must occur;

(2) Extend the deadline for when a mandatory recount must be completed and the results publicly announced; and

(3) Repeal the specific filing deadline for a complaint for a contest for cause arising from a mandatory recount.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Elections, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure modifies the threshold for determining when to conduct an automatic recount to address the margin of votes between candidates in small races. This measure also extends the timeline to complete a recount to reflect the implementation of elections by mail and provide election staff and volunteers additional time to recount the votes in the impacted contest.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 129 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair