STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1048-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2117

      S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2117, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to adopt a process for permanent absentee voters to receive a ballot at both their address of record and another address inside or outside the State for different elections occurring within the same election cycle without affecting their permanent absentee status or permanent on record mailing address.  The measure also allows a voter to receive an absentee ballot by electronic transmission if the voter requires a replacement ballot within five days of an election and to return the voted replacement ballot and executed forms by electronic transmission.

The Office of Elections, Offices of the County Clerk of the Counties of Kauai and Maui, and the League of Women Voters of Hawaii testified in support of this measure.

     This measure clarifies the procedure for permanent absentee voting by codifying the practices that were established by county election officials regarding permanent absentee ballot voters who need to have a ballot mailed to an address other than their permanent address for different elections that occur within the same election cycle.  Further, the measure authorizes the electronic transmission of voted replacement ballots, which provides a practical and expeditious means of casting a ballot and encourages voter participation.

     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 S.B. No. 2117, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair