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 S.B. No. 1437 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 Help America Vote Act of 2002.

Your Committee finds that the Help America Vote Act of 2002, P.L. 107-252, which was signed into law on October 28, 2002, makes federal funds available to each state to improve the administration of federal elections. The State of Hawaii is estimated to receive $20 million if the State, among other things, provides appropriate matching funds of five per cent.

Your Committee finds that it is in the State's best interest to take advantage of federal funds to assist the State in improving the administration of elections, updating our voting systems, increasing voter education, and meeting the legal requirements of the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

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 S.B. No. 1437 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.