STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1301

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 964

H.D. 1

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 Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 964, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CERTIFICATION OF DOCUMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the fee for the issuance of an apostille or non-apostille certification to $10;

(2) Establish the Apostilles and Certifications Special Fund; and

(3) Authorize the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to expend moneys in the fund for operational expenses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and Department of Health. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Lieutenant Governor provides approximately seven thousand five hundred authentication services for all public and general documents annually. Authenticated documents include powers of attorney, marriage or birth certificates, divorce decrees, probated and un-probated wills, and other documents. The current system used for authentication is archaic as the system is unable to accept web-based payment such as credit cards, requiring requestors to send $1 in cash or cashier's check. Additionally, requestors who live outside of the United States are unable to provide a self-addressed stamped envelope with American postage, creating additional postage costs for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. This measure updates the current document certification process to ensure the timely processing and delivery of documents for Hawaii's people.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 964, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 964, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

________________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair