STAND. COM. REP. NO. 519

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 164
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 164 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III,
     SECTION 6, OF THE HAWAII CONSTITUTION, TO CHANGE THE
     ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE SENATE OR
     HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to propose an amendment to
Article III, section 6 of the State Constitution to require that
a candidate for state legislative office be a registered voter in
the district the candidate seeks to represent prior to filing
nomination papers.

     Testimony in support of this bill was received from the
Office of Elections, Common Cause Hawaii and the League of Women
Voters.

     Your Committee finds that this bill will reduce the ability
of a candidate to seek office in a particular district based
solely on the candidate's chance of success.  This bill will also
improve public confidence in the election process by increasing
the likelihood that candidates will be more knowledgeable and
representative of the community from which they seek public
office.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 519
                                 Page 2

 
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 164 and recommends that it pass Second
Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary &
                                   Hawaiian Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   PAUL T. OSHIRO, Chair