CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 140-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2014

RE:    H.B. No. 2590

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2590, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

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 measure is to increase voter participation in elections by permitting late voter registration at absentee polling places beginning in 2016, and authorizing late voter registration at precinct polling places on Election Day beginning in 2018.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying the requirements of the late voter registration application process by:

          (A)  Specifying that the signed affidavit submitted by a person wishing to register shall be a sworn affirmation, which shall include an acknowledgement that providing false information may result in a class C felony;

          (B)  Deleting the requirement that the registration clerk demand evidence of residency of any person wishing to register to vote, and instead authorizing the registration clerk to accept the person's allegation of residency as prima facie evidence, unless it is contested by a qualified voter; and

          (C)  Allowing the registration clerk to demand substantiating evidence as to information contained in an application, other than an allegation of residency;

     (2)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 for the counties to implement the measure's voter registration provisions;

     (3)  Making all sections of the measure, except for the late registration and registration at absentee polling places sections, effective on July 1, 2014; and

     (4)  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. 2590, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2590, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, 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	____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Co-Chair
____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Co-Chair	____________________________ KANIELA ING, Co-Chair