STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2397

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2562

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 2562 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize permanent absentee voting.

     More specifically, the measure allows a registered voter to request permanent absentee voter status, in order to receive an absentee ballot for all subsequent elections conducted in that precinct.  The measure also appropriates funds for the implementation and administration of this new program.

     Testimony supporting the intent of the measure was received from the Office of Elections.

     Your Committee supports the goal of encouraging voter participation, and this measure helps achieve that goal by increasing voter convenience and accessibility for all citizens in the State.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to make a technical nonsubstantive amendment for the purpose of clarity.

     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. 2562, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2562, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair