STAND. COM. REP. NO. 936

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 124

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 124, S.D. 1, 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 reapportion state legislative seats according to the resident population counted in the decennial United States Census, rather than the permanent resident population.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters and three individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from a member of the Hawaii County Council and numerous individuals.

Your Committee recognizes that, under the current provisions of the Hawaii State Constitution, reapportionment for state senators and representatives is based on the average number of "permanent residents" in each district. This term excludes military members, their dependents, and college students who reside in the State but are not permanent residents. This is contrary to the law in forty-seven other states, which base their reapportionment process on data from the United States Census. Your Committee finds that adopting the reapportionment process implemented in the vast majority of other states would ensure that legislative seats more accurately reflect an area's resident population.

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. 124, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair