STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3704

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 18

       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 S.R. No. 18, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES TO IMMEDIATELY RESUME BIOMETRIC INTAKE AND INTERVIEWS ON THE COUNTIES OF HAWAII, MAUI, AND KAUAI,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to immediately resume biometric intake and interviews on the Counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights.

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii is among the top five states with the highest share of immigrants in their population.  Your Committee also finds that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services terminated quarterly interview services for the neighbor islands in 2007 and quarterly biometric intake for the neighbor islands in 2009.  As a result, immigrants residing on the neighbor islands who require these services are forced to travel to Honolulu, at their own expense, in order to obtain or maintain lawful immigration status.  Fees related to immigration applications are substantial and, when combined with the cost of roundtrip air travel to Honolulu, present a significant barrier to those trying to lawfully comply with the immigration process.  Your Committee believes that restoring biometric intake and interviews on the neighbor islands would alleviate an inequitable financial burden imposed on immigrants who reside on those islands.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 18, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair