STAND. COM. REP. NO.  704

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1368

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1368, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to bring fairness and clarity to the election process by, among other things:

     (1)  Defining the term "party candidate" in relation to the provisions governing the filling of vacancies caused by the death, withdrawal, or disqualification of the candidate; and

     (2)  Clarifying the candidate filing process by stipulating that any person who withdraws their nomination papers prior to the close of filing shall not be considered to have caused a vacancy that may be filled by the candidate's party.

     The Democratic Party of Hawaii provided comments on this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1368, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1368, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair