STAND. COM. REP. NO.  791

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 179

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 179 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a ranked choice voting procedure for special elections for Congressional offices that are held in this State and for council member races in counties that adopt the ranked choice voting procedure.

FairVote Action, Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center, Election Administration Project Team, and Common Cause Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  The Office of Elections and Office of the County Clerk of the County of Kauai provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Making county council member elections not eligible for the ranked choice voting procedure;

     (2)  Changing the date that the chief election officer and county clerks shall adopt rules for the ranked choice voting procedure to an unspecified date;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050 to encourage 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 Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 179, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 179, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO, Chair