STAND. COM. REP. NO.  433

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1133

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1133 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to increase accessibility to the election process by enacting election day registration for primary, special primary, special, general, and special general elections.

     The Office of Elections, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Office of the City Clerk of the City and County of Honolulu offered comments.

     Often voters do not become interested in a particular election until after the registration deadline.  For this reason, election day registration will remove another impediment to voter registration and voting.  Seven other states already allow this form of registration.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to             encourage continuing discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style              and to correct drafting errors.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1133, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1133, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

____________________________

TOMMY WATERS, Chair