STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1991-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

RE:   S.C.R. No. 148

      S.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 148, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION TO CLARIFY THE STATUS OF MIGRANTS UNDER THE COMPACTS OF FREE ASSOCIATION FOR PURPOSES OF THE REAL ID ACT OF 2005 TO PROMOTE FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW AND URGING THE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES TO DELINEATE COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION STATUS AS A SPECIFIC CATEGORY IN THE SYSTEMATIC ALIEN VERIFICATION FOR ENTITLEMENTS SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the U.S. Congress to pass legislation to clarify the status of migrants under the Compacts of Free Association for purposes of the REAL ID act of 2005 to promote fairness and equality under the law and urging the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to delineate Compact of Free Association status as a specific category in the systematic alien verification for entitlements system.

Your committee received testimony in support from the Hawaii State Department of Transportation, the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, the Micronesia Consulate General, the Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Faith Action for Community Equity, COFA Community Advocacy Network, and 10 individuals.

     Your Committee notes a concern raised by supporters of this resolution that migrants under COFA must renew their driver's license annually under the requirements of the REAL ID Act, causing undue hardship on those individuals, particularly if a license is necessary for employment purposes. Your Committee sincerely hopes that requirements regarding REAL ID Act requirements for driver's licenses could be amended to address this issue and allow COFA migrants to continue to legally operate a motor vehicle while continuing to provide the safeguards currently contained under the REAL ID Act.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 148, S.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________

MATTHEW S. LOPRESTI, Chair