STAND. COM. REP. NO.  649-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2736

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2736, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BALLOTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require that Hawaiian Language ballots be made available in each election upon voter request.

Kamehameha Schools and several individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  ‘Aha Pūnana Leo provided testimony in opposition with comments.  The Office of Elections provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the date after which elections will need to provide Hawaiian language ballots to January 1, 2021.

     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. 2736, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2736, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair