Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1255, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Office of Elections to meet the five per cent matching fund requirement of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002.

Your Committee finds that the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 provides for payments to states to improve the administration of federal elections. In particular, Hawaii could receive a projected $5,000,000 to improve the administration of elections and to replace punch cards and lever machines. The State could also receive an estimated additional $15,000,000 to train poll workers, provide voter education, improve the administration of federal elections, and meet other requirements of the federal Act.

Your Committee further finds that, to qualify for federal funds, the federal Act requires the development of a state plan, matching funds of approximately five per cent, and maintenance of a level of funding for state election activities at not less than the amount expended for the period ending November 2000.

Your Committee has amended this bill by replacing the sum appropriated with the sum of $1 in order to facilitate further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1255, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1255, S.D. 2.