STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1158

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 130

H.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.B. No. 130, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VALIDATION OF BALLOTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to change the deadline for the validation of ballots following an election.

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

Your Committee finds that section 11-106, Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides that voters have five business days after the election to cure their ballots. Currently, the Statehood Day holiday for the Primary Election and Veterans' Day holiday for the General Election make the time required for the County Elections Divisions to validate ballots up to nine calendar days after the election. This does not align with the deadline in section 11-108(c), Hawaii Revised Statutes, of seven days after an election for the clerks to complete the validation process. This measure will align the deadline by which voters have to cure any deficiency with their return envelope with the deadline for the county election divisions to validate ballots.

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 H.B. No. 130, H.D. 1, 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,

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair