STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1659-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   S.B. No. 2444

      S.D. 2

      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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2444, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to improve the accuracy of voter registration by requiring:

 

     (1)  That documents or images containing driver's license and civil identification card information be provided electronically, by the Department of Transportation, to election officials and the statewide voter registration system; and

 

     (2)  The Office of Elections to join the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a multistate organization aimed at improving voting procedures using secure data-matching tools.

 

     This measure also provides funding for these initiatives.

 

     The Office of Elections testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Transportation testified in opposition.  The County of Kauai Elections Division and League of Women Voters provided comments.


     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the requirement that, beginning prior to fiscal year 2017-2018, the Office of Elections request an appropriation as part of its annual budget to pay annual dues for Hawaii's participation in the ERIC;

 

     (2)  Changing the appropriation amount for the Office of Elections to join the ERIC from $25,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2444, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2444, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair