CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 114

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2011

RE:    H.B. No. 1613

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1613, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to improve access to voter registration by:

     (1)  Requiring that applications to register to vote in person or by mail include a space to request a permanent absentee ballot;

     (2)  Removing the limitation that a person registered to vote may not request an absentee ballot or permanent absentee ballot in person or in writing from the clerk earlier than the 60^th day prior to the election, provided the request is made no later than seven days prior to the election;

     (3)  Requiring the Chief Election Officer to inform persons applying to register to vote of the option of applying for permanent absentee voter status and provide necessary forms to request the option; and

     (4)  Requiring the Office of Elections to continue to use existing voter registration application forms where possible until new forms are available.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2011; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1613, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1613, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair	____________________________ GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Co-Chair
____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Co-Chair	____________________________ ISAAC W. CHOY, Co-Chair