STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3526

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1654

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1654, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ABSENTEE BALLOTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify and modernize the process of casting an absentee ballot for an election.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Authorizes a permanent absentee voter to request that an absentee ballot be forwarded, temporarily, to an address other than the voter's registered address;

(2)  Removes restrictions on the class of voters that may request a replacement absentee ballot within five days of an election; and

(3)  Authorizes an absentee voter to request that a replacement absentee ballot be forwarded by electronic transmission and authorizes the absentee voter to submit that ballot electronically.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Elections, the League of Women Voters, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that over the past five years, absentee voting has grown in popularity.  Your Committee further finds that expanding the class of voters eligible to request and cast replacement absentee ballots within five days of an election, and allowing the casting of those replacement absentee ballots through additional methods, will help to modernize the voting process and increase voting participation in the State.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1654, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1654, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair