STAND. COM. REP. NO. 680

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 179

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 S.B. No. 179 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent 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 National Federation of the Blind Hawai‘i, Disability and Communication Access Board, Office of Elections, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Aloha Consultants, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that statewide and county-level Voters with Special Needs Advisory Committees' revised name of Elections Accessibility Needs Advisory Committees is more consistent with the purpose to ensure that people with disabilities have equal and independent access to voter registration, casting of ballots, and all other Office of Elections services. Language is the basis of thoughts and attitudes about people with disabilities. This measure will ensure that the appropriate terminology is used for people with disabilities.

Your Committee notes that there are references to the phrase "special needs" in other chapters of the Hawaii Revised Statutes that need to be amended, however the title of this measure restricts your Committee from making those changes in this measure.

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 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,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair