STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1965

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 87

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 87 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF ELECTIONS TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE COST AND PERSONNEL REQUIRED TO PREPARE AND DISTRIBUTE A VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Office of Elections to prepare and submit a proposal to the Legislature on the cost and personnel required to prepare and distribute a voter information guide.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Elections.

 

     Your Committee finds that the public needs access to information on candidates for elected office and ballot questions in a clear, standardized format.  There is increasing demand for access to information in a digital format.  Voters with special-needs require adaptive technology to access digital information, and voters may require ballot information to be made available in their native language.  This measure will encourage the Office of Elections to prepare to provide voters with candidate information in a printed format, digital format, and screen reader‑accessible format for voters with special needs who are unable to read standard print due to disability, and a translation of the digital voter information in various languages.

 

     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 H.C.R. No. 87, and recommends its adoption.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair