STAND. COM. REP. NO. 189

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1956

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 1956 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE AGREEMENT AMONG THE STATES TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT BY NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to add a new chapter to the Hawaii Revised Statutes to enact an interstate compact, the Agreement among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote, to enable the winner of the presidential election to be determined by national popular vote.

     The compact would take effect only upon adoption by states collectively possessing a sufficient number of electoral votes to elect the president.  Each member state would conduct a general election in which votes are cast for slates of candidates for president and vice president of the United States.  The chief election officer of each member state would report to each other member state the number of votes cast for each presidential slate.  The "national popular vote total" for each presidential slate would be tallied.  All of each member state's electoral votes would be awarded to the slate with the highest national popular vote total.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from FairVote, National Popular Vote, and a concerned individual.

     Your Committee finds that a national popular vote system addresses a deep concern among many of Hawaii's citizens about an electoral college system that can, and has, let our nation's leader be someone other than the individual most voters selected.

     Your Committee is mindful that all states must adopt this interstate compact in substantially identical form.  Accordingly, your Committee is passing this measure unamended, with the understanding that as this measure moves through the legislative process, it may be appropriate to include additional language to enact the compact into law, and to amend section 14-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to require the chief election officer's compliance with election procedures in the compact.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1956 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CLAYTON HEE, Chair