STAND. COM. REP. NO.  719-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   S.B. No. 2335

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2335, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY AND OVERSEAS CIVILIAN ABSENTEE VOTERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to facilitate voting by military personnel and their families, as well as civilians who are overseas, by implementing the absentee voter provisions of the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE).

     The Military Officers Association of America-Hawaii Chapter, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and Oahu Veterans Council supported this bill.

     Among the provisions of MOVE contained in this bill is one that requires absentee ballots to be mailed to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters no later than 45 days before the election.  Your Committee notes that H.B. No. 2185, H.D. 1, which passed out of this committee earlier this session, pushes Hawaii's primary election back to an earlier date to allow compliance with the 45-day deadline.

     To encourage further discussion of this measure, your Committee has changed its effective date to July 1, 2112.

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments were also made for clarity, consistency and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2335, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2335, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair