STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3569

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 401

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

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. 401, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address voter registration.

     More specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Requires that an affidavit on an application for voter registration be part of the application associated with the issuance of a motor vehicle driver's license or identification card;

     (2)  Allows applicants for a new or renewed motor vehicle driver's license, provisional license, instruction permit, or new, renewed, or duplicate identification card to be automatically registered to vote if that person is not already registered to vote, unless the applicant affirmatively declines to be registered to vote;

     (3)  Requires the examiner of drivers to collect the necessary personal information required for voter registration and transmit the information to the clerk of the county in which the applicant resides, election officials, and the statewide voter registration system;

     (4)  Authorizes access to and electronic transmission to election officials and the statewide voter registration system of databases that are maintained or operated by the counties or the Department of Transportation and contain driver's license or identification card information;

     (5)  Requires the clerk of the county in which the applicant resides to review the application and, if the application is approved, register the name of the voter in the general county register; and

     (6)  Makes various conforming amendments to reflect the requirement of automatic voter registration on an application for a motor vehicle driver's license or identification card.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Elections, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two individuals.

     Your Committee written comments on this measure from the Department of Transportation.

     Your Committee finds that this measure will help increase voter registration in the State by providing the option for individuals to register to vote when applying for driver's licenses and state identification cards.

     Your Committee respectfully requests that a subject matter committee that subsequently deliberates on this measure consider the amendment suggested by the Office of Elections regarding clarification on what data will be immediately electronically transmitted to election officials, and continue to improve details in the language and implementation provisions of the measure.

     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. 401, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair