STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1634

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 179

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 S.B. No. 179 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADVISORY COMMITTEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Rename the statewide and county-level voters with special needs advisory committees to elections accessibility needs advisory committees; and

(2) Recognize that voting accessibility needs may arise from disabilities other than those of a physical nature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Elections, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Disability and Communication Access Board, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Voters with Special Needs Advisory Committee, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the purpose of the voters with special needs advisory committees is to represent and advise on behalf of voters with accessibility needs, regardless of whether the disabilities are of a physical nature. However, under existing law, members must identify as voters with physical disabilities. This measure amends the membership of the committees allowing for the inclusion of persons with disabilities that are not of a physical nature, which allows the committees to be more representative of the group on whose behalf the committees advocate.

Your Committee further finds that language is the basis of thoughts and attitudes. While standards for appropriate terminology continually evolve, your Committee recognizes that the use of "special needs" is patronizing and distancing by persons with disabilities. Accordingly, this measure renames the committees to be more inclusive and appropriate.

Furthermore, your Committee notes that there are several provisions in the Hawaii Revised Statutes that continue to use the term "special needs" when referencing persons with disabilities. These references warrant equal scrutiny and should be similarly amended. However, your Committee acknowledges that the title of this measure prevents your Committee from carrying-out those appropriate amendments.

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 S.B. No. 179 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