STAND. COM. REP. NO. 656-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2634
                                     H.D. 1
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.B. No. 2634 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NO CANDIDATES FILED FOR AN
     ELECTIVE OFFICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to allow for candidate filing
deadlines to be extended if no candidates have filed for an
elected office by the close of the candidate filing period.

     The Office of Elections testified in support of the bill.

     Your Committee finds that current law does not address the
situation where no candidates have filed for an elective office
by the filing deadline.  This measure would allow the Chief
Election Officer or the county clerk, in the case of a county
election, to accept nomination papers for that office until 4:30
p.m. on the fiftieth day prior to the primary or special
election.  Your Committee believes that this measure will assist
in ensuring that every electoral district is adequately
represented.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 656-00
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committee has amended this bill to clarify that
nomination papers can be accepted no later than 4:30 p.m. on the
fiftieth day prior to the primary or special election.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to
this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 2634, as amended herein, and recommends that
it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No.
2634, 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,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair