STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2882

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3124

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 3124 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Director of Health to allow persons to apply for civil union and marriage licenses through online access in lieu of in-person applications.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the in-person requirement for licenses was established prior to modern day telecommunication technology advancements and was intended to assure persons seeking a marriage or civil union license were not under duress. Your Committee further finds that during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the issuance of licenses to marry online remained a legitimate way, with the adaptation of high-definition fidelity video and audio devices, to afford a marriage agent the opportunity to observe for certain signs of duress. With over twenty thousand marriage licenses a year, most from out-of-state couples, there has only been one case where questions were raised. This measure will permanently authorize the online option to issue licenses, which will increase public access to government services via the Internet with minimal additional burdens or risks.

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. 3124 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair