STAND. COM. REP. NO. 646-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1879

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. 1879 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DIGITAL VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit certain information included in any digital voter information guide from being released to any requestor in whole or in part before the public release of the entire guide.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Elections; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure will make clear that an open records request made for the contents of the digital voter information guide is to be rejected prior to the public release of the guide and will prevent the requestor from receiving any unfair advantage, which could impact elections.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the contents of the digital voter information guide shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Uniform Information Practices Act and any other law; and

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

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. 1879, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1879, H.D. 1, 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