STAND. COM. REP. NO.  751

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 92

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 92 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure the consistent treatment of absentee ballots by mandating that absentee ballots cast by voters who were eligible to vote when their votes were cast, but subsequently became ineligible will not be deemed invalid solely because of the subsequent ineligibility. 

     This measure also deletes the requirement that a voter's absentee ballot be invalidated and disposed of upon sufficient proof that the absentee voter died prior to the opening of the polls on the date of election.

The National Association for Uniformed Services Hawaii Chapter (HI-1) and Military Officers Association of America, Hawaii Chapter supported this measure.  The Office of Elections, County of Maui Office of the County Clerk, and Kauai County Elections Division of the Office of the County Clerk provided comments.

     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. 92 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair