STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3113

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3254

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3254 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE IV, SECTIONS 4 AND 6, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION REGARDING REAPPORTIONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to propose amendments to article IV, sections 4 and 6, of the Hawaii State Constitution to specify that reapportionment shall be based on the resident population, as reported by the most recent decennial census of the United States.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Common Cause Hawaii.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Office of Elections.

Your Committee recognizes that reapportionment is the process of redistributing seats for elected officials, so that the seats are evenly distributed, based on the residential population. Your Committee also recognizes that since 1992, sections 4 and 6 of Article IV of the Hawaii State Constitution have required that reapportionment for state senators and representatives be based upon the average number of "permanent" residents in each district. Your Committee notes that Hawaii is the only state that reapportions its districts in this manner, and is therefore the only state in which thousands of military personnel, military dependents, and non-resident college students are excluded from reapportionment.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3254, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3254, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair