STAND. COM. REP. NO.  261

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 178

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 178 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATED TO ABSENTEE VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit the electronic transmission and return of absentee ballots by voters who have not received absentee mail ballots within five days of an election.

The Office of Elections of the State, Office of the County Clerk of the County of Kauai, Office of the County Clerk of the County of Maui and one individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Office of the City Clerk of the City and County of Honolulu and the League of Women Voters of Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee finds that this measure would ensure that all voters who have requested but have not received their absentee ballot will have the option to electronically receive and cast absentee election ballots.  Your Committee notes that this form of absentee voting is currently allowed only for voters covered by the state's Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act, chapter 15D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a provision to allow any voter who requires a replacement absentee ballot to request electronic transmission of the ballot within five days of an election;

     (2)  Specifying that, if a voter returns multiple ballots, a county clerk shall prepare for counting only the first unspoiled absentee ballot returned by the voter; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity 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. 178, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 178, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair