STAND. COM. REP. NO.  396

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 1613

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1613 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to help encourage voter participation by:

     (1)  Requiring an application to vote, including a mail-in application to vote, to include an option for a permanent absentee ballot; and

     (2)  Removing the time limit to request an absentee or permanent absentee ballot, provided the request is made prior to 4:30 p.m. on the seventh day prior to the election.

     Common Cause Hawaii, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The Office of Elections and Office of the County Clerk of the County of Maui provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to January 7, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1613, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1613, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

GILBERT KEITH-AGARAN, Chair