STAND. COM. REP. NO. 102-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1525

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1525 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to:

(1) The counties for more voter service centers for in-person voting;

(2) The Office of Elections to print and mail the digital voter information guide to all registered voters; and

(3) The Office of Elections to support a public outreach and engagement campaign to encourage greater voter participation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Elections; Hawaiʻi Alliance for Progressive Action; Indivisible Hawaiʻi; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the County of Kauaʻi Office of the County Clerk; City and County of Honolulu Elections Division; and County of Maui Office of the County Clerk.

Your Committee finds that expanding the availability of in-person voting through additional voter service centers on election day will improve voter access and convenience across all counties. Your Committee further finds that providing all registered voters with the digital voter information guide and supporting a coordinated public outreach and engagement campaign will enhance voter awareness and promote greater participation in the electoral process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the public outreach and engagement campaign to include awareness and training to promote accessible voting options; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of:

(1) $310,000 for the Kauai County Clerk to establish two more voter service centers;

(2) $2,074,913 for the Office of Elections to print and mail the digital voter information guide to all registered voters; and

(3) $178,000 for the Office of Elections to support a public outreach and engagement campaign to encourage greater voter participation, including awareness and training to promote accessible voting options.

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. 1525, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1525, 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