THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2009

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to voter registration.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the participation of eligible voters in elections is vital to American democracy; however, more than fifty-one million eligible citizens nationwide remain unregistered to vote, one in eight voter registration records contain a serious error, and many voter registration systems remain inefficient and largely based on outdated technology.  The Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, is a nonprofit organization that was formed in 2012 to help states improve the accuracy of voter registration rolls by using secure data-matching tools.  ERIC uses the voter registration rolls of member states and several other databases, such as driver's licensing records, Social Security Administration records, and the United States Postal Service's national change of address registry to compare voting lists.  Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia now participate in ERIC and receive, as member states, reports that show voters who have moved within a respective state, voters who have moved out of a state, voters with duplicate registrations within a state, voters who have passed away, and individuals who are potentially eligible to vote but have not yet registered to vote.

     The legislature further finds that many persons reside in Hawaii on a part-time basis.  This highly mobile population may be registered to vote in more than one state due to outdated registration records, thus challenging the accuracy of Hawaii's and other states' voter registration rolls.  Accordingly, the legislature finds that modernizing Hawaii's system of verifying voter registration data is essential to ensuring the integrity of the State's voter registration rolls.

     The purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Authorize election officials to disclose driver's license and state identification information in association with membership in nonprofit organizations for election related purposes;

     (2)  Require the office of elections to join a voter registration shared information system, such as ERIC, and to share information with counties to encourage voter participation and ensure integrity of voter registration rolls; and

     (3)  Appropriate moneys to the office of elections for purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 2.  Section 11-15.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

     "(c)  Databases maintained or operated by the counties or the department of transportation containing driver's license or identification card information, including any documents or images, shall be accessible and provided electronically to election officials and the online voter registration system to allow for the timely processing of voter applications, and shall be disclosable to nonprofit information sharing organizations in which the State is a member for an election related purpose, to ensure the integrity of the voter registration polls, and for any other voter registration or election purposes as determined by the director of transportation."

     SECTION 3.  By May 8, 2024, the office of elections shall join a voter registration shared information system, such as ERIC.  The office of elections shall share with each county the information and services provided by the voter registration shared information system pursuant to the terms of the office of elections' membership agreement with that organization.

     The office of elections and each county office that administers elections shall use information and services provided by the voter registration shared information system to promote the accuracy of their respective voter registration rolls.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the office of elections to join a voter registration shared information system, such as ERIC.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of elections for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Voter Registration Shared Information System; Verification; Appropriation

 

Description:

Authorizes election officials to disclose driver's license and state identification information in association with membership in nonprofit organizations for election related purposes.  Requires the office of elections to join a voter registration shared information system such as the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) and share information with counties to encourage voter participation and ensure integrity of voter registration rolls.  Appropriates moneys.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.