CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 175

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1370

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1370, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LICENSES TO SOLEMNIZE MARRIAGES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a standard license to solemnize marriages, valid for one year from the date of issuance;

(2) Establish a short-term license to solemnize marriages, valid for sixty days from the date of issuance;

(3) Establish a fee of $100 per year for the issuance of a standard license;

(4) Establish a fee of $25 per sixty-day period for a short-term license; and

(5) Specify in what amount and to which fund the collected license fees shall be deposited.

Your Committee on Conference finds that prior to Act 211, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021 (Act 211), only individuals with religious affiliations or judicial appointments could obtain a license to solemnize marriages. While Act 211 authorized the issuance of civil licenses to solemnize marriages, it also established a fee for civil licenses. In contrast, no fee was established to obtain a religious or judicial license. This measure addresses this difference in fees to ensure equity among all persons licensed to solemnize marriages in the State.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending section 1 to clarify the purpose of this measure;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2023; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1370, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1370, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Chair
____________________________ JENNA TAKENOUCHI Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Co-Chair