STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2192

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 214

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Judiciary, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 214 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY TO MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL TIMELINE TO INTRODUCE HARRIET TUBMAN AND OTHER FEMALE AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS ONTO UNITED STATES CURRENCY BY 2020 TO CELEBRATE ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the United States Department of the Treasury to expedite the process of designing the new $5, $10, and $20 banknotes to celebrate one hundred years of women's suffrage and fulfill the Secretary of the Treasury's commitment to introduce Harriet Tubman and other female and civil rights leaders onto United States currency by 2020.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Community Alliance on Prisons, University of Hawai‘i Chapter of the National Black Law Student Association, O‘ahu County Democrats Legislative Priorities Committee, Honolulu-Hawaii Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, and eight individuals.

Your Committees find that, as defined by the United States Department of the Treasury, the criteria for representation on a United States bank note is that the portraits on banknotes shall be of deceased persons whose places in history the American people know well. Your Committees further find that Harriet Tubman was born into slavery, spent the bulk of her life as a leading abolitionist advocate and suffragist, and the American people know of her historic courage and accomplishments. In order to celebrate one hundred years of women's suffrage and to fulfill the Secretary of the Treasury's commitment to update the $5, $10, and $20 banknotes to include Harriet Tubman, along with other suffrage and civil rights leaders, your Committees believe that the process of designing the new banknotes should be expedited.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 214, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair