STAND. COM. REP. NO. 941-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2549

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2549 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the language and meaning of any proposed constitutional amendment and ratification question to be simple, concise, and direct;

(2) Allow the presiding officers of the Legislature to request a written opinion from the Supreme Court stating whether a proposed constitutional amendment and ratification question are simple, concise, and direct;

(3) Require the Supreme Court to provide a written opinion within forty-eight hours of receipt of the request;

(4) Require, for any written opinion by the Supreme Court that invalidates a constitutional ratification question, a detailed and specific explanation of the reasons for the invalidation; and

(5) Prohibit any appeal of a written opinion.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary and Common Cause Hawaii.

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 H.B. No. 2549 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair