CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 17-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2333

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2333, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTION AUDITS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Chief Election Officer to use accurate copies of paper ballots, rather than the originals, when conducting a precinct audit of an electronic voting system’s tally.

Your Committee on Conference finds that existing law requires the Chief Election Officer, as a condition of using an electronic tally of ballots created by an electronic voting system, to conduct a random audit of the vote counts in ten percent of the precincts where an electronic voting system was used. This measure will improve the efficiency of the required audits by clarifying and updating the conduct of the audits used with modernized voting equipment and technology for elections by mail.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Making it effective upon its approval; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2333, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2333, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Chair

____________________________ KARL RHOADS Chair