STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3625

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1761

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1761, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION CARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of limited purpose identification cards for certain residents.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety; City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services; County of Hawai‘i Finance Department; Hawai‘i Friends of Civil Rights; Community Alliance on Prisons; Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i; and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that in 2015, the Legislature authorized the issuance of limited purpose driver's licenses, limited purpose provisional driver's licenses, and limited purpose instruction permits to individuals who otherwise satisfy the requirements for a driver's license, provisional driver's license, or instruction permit except for the individual's inability or refusal to provide satisfactory proof of authorized presence in the United States under the federal REAL ID Act. Your Committee further finds that the State does not similarly provide residents who do not drive and are unable to meet the requirements for a REAL ID-compliant identification card with the ability to access state-issued identification. This issue impacts several demographic groups, including young adults, elderly persons, houseless persons, undocumented immigrants, and lawfully present non-immigrants. Authorizing the issuance of limited purpose identification cards will improve access to places, and other benefits for residents of the State, including marginalized or disadvantaged residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the limited purpose identification card shall on its reverse bear the phrase, "This identification card is issued only for state identification purposes. It does not establish eligibility for employment, voter registration, or public benefits"; and

(2) Making it effective upon its approval.

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. 1761, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1761, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair