STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3685

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 195

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 S.C.R. No. 195 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENACT FEDERAL LEGISLATION GRANTING STATEHOOD TO THE PEOPLE OF WASHINGTON, D.C,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the members of the United States Congress to enact federal legislation granting statehood to the people of Washington, D.C.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii; Common Cause Hawaii; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO; Rainbow Family 808; and Americans for Democratic Action Hawai‘i. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from three individuals.

Your Committee finds that residents of the District of Columbia share all the responsibilities of United States citizenship, including paying more federal taxes than residents of twenty-two states, service on federal juries, and defending the United States as members of the United States Armed Forces in every war since the War for Independence. Despite these facts, residents of the District of Columbia are denied full representation in Congress. The residents of the District of Columbia do not enjoy the full democracy, equality, and citizenship enjoyed by residents of the fifty states. This measure will promote providing the citizens of Washington D.C. the equal rights of self-governess and citizenship as enjoyed by all other American citizens.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 195 and recommends its adoption.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair