STAND. COM. REP. NO. 87-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1976

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1976 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds to the Office of Elections for the Statewide Elections Accessibility Needs Advisory Committee to carry out its mandate; and

(2) Require the Office of Elections to annually request funding for the Statewide Elections Accessibility Needs Advisory Committee.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Statewide Voters with Accessibility Needs Advisory Committee; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the purpose of the Statewide Elections Accessibility Needs Advisory Committee is to ensure equal and independent access to voter registration, casting of ballots, and all other Office of Elections services. This measure will enable the Advisory Committee to carry out its mandate.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Codifying the requirement that the Office of Elections annually request funding for the Statewide Elections Accessibility Needs Advisory Committee in the Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $10,000.

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 H.B. No. 1976, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1976, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair