STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1135

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 135

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 135 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO GRANT FULL VOTING RIGHTS FOR RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the United States Congress to enact federal legislation or propose a constitutional amendment granting full voting rights to residents of the District of Columbia.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the District of Columbia has approximately 601,723 residents who share all of the responsibilities of United States citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving on federal juries, and defending the United States as members of the United States Armed Services, yet they are denied full representation in Congress.  This measure will urge Congress to allow residents of the District of Columbia to enjoy their basic American right to representation in the body that enacts the laws that govern its citizens.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 135 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair